Lance Armstrong's War: One Man's Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de France

by Daniel Coyle

“A velvety mix of vivid, sophisticated prose, Raymond Carver’s unerring eye for nuance, and John Irving’s irreverent, unflinching humor….An intimate look inside the maelstrom of professional cycling.”
— Boston Globe   Daniel Coyne’s New York Times bestseller Lance Armstrong’s War takes a fascinating, in-depth  look at a staggeringly talented yet  flawed sports hero as he faced his greatest a record sixth straight Tour de France victory. Now with a new epilogue covering Armstrong's quest to win an 8th Tour de France, this “intimate, insightful, unflinching look at the greatest athlete of our time” (Jon Krakauer) explores the remarkable drive and accomplishments of a controversial champion—a must read for fans of John Feinstein and David Halberstam, as well as readers of Lance Armstrong’s own It’s Not About the Bike and Every Second Counts .

Genres: Cycling, Sports, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, Memoir, History

368 pages, Paperback

First published June 14, 2005

About the author

Daniel Coyle is the author of the upcoming book The Culture Code (January 2018). He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Talent Code, The Little Book of Talent, The Secret Race (with Tyler Hamilton), and other books. Winner (with Hamilton) of the 2012 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Prize, he is a contributing editor for Outside magazine, and also works a special advisor to the Cleveland Indians. Coyle lives in Cleveland, Ohio during the school year and in Homer, Alaska, during the summer with his wife Jen, and their four children.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even better than Armstrong's two autobiographical books, in which you feel he is giving you just the tightly-controlled slices of information he wants to tell, and nothing else. This book is a more objective look at the man, the myth, the yellow jersey that is Lance Armstrong. There are some great details of the cycling world also --can't recall the exact terms, but the chapter on how all the riders check out each other's fitness level with the 'side-pinch' and the 'ass-check,' is hilarious, as is discussion of cyclists' many superstitions.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting! I learned so much about cycling. It so complicated and crooked.

[Julie H. Ernstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book in honor of the Tour de France and as acknowledgment of the power of persistance. I finished it, because it was really really good. Daniel Coyle, a contributing editor for Outside magazine and author of Hardball: A Season in the Projects (a book about his experiences as a little league coach in Chicago's former Cabrini-Green housing projects), was tremendously successful at his own dance on the razors-edge of gaining access to Armstrong and many other well-known cyclists and on presenting them in an honest, non-sycophanty way without getting caught up in taking a side on the doping charges alleged by sportswriter David Walsh. In an epilogue to the book, Coyle visits Armstrong at his Austin, TX, home to wrap things up, and it would be fair to say that Armstrong absolutely loses it at one point when discussing Walsh's allegations. I really felt that this was a classic instance of Coyle maintaining his cool and presenting the warts-and-all approach to the racing machine that is Lance Armstrong.

This book is fascinating on many, many levels. Coyle and his family--including his kids--uprooted and moved to Spain where they could have ready access to Armstrong and other riders training for the 2004 Tour de France (the centerpiece of this book). His writing style is engaging, his manner self-deprecating (i.e., I especially loved his account where he notes that he made a particular ascent five minutes faster than Armstrong's then-paramour, Cheryl Crow), and he is both respectful and empathetic of the challenges and sacrifices made by cyclists, their families, and the considerable danger involved in the sport.

Lance Armstrong's War... is a thoroughly enjoyable read--whether you're a former triathlete, an armchair enthusiast, or just someone who likes good writing about compelling subjects. I readily recommend it as a still-timely insight into the sport and the remarkable men who willingly break their bodies at its altar.

As an aside, there's a fabulous little nine-page section at the very end of the book titled "Notes on the Sport." It's the best precis of the world of pro cylcing that I've seen, and includes an overview of the cycling season, the teams, the types and names of the various stages of the Tour de France, racing tactics and strategies, as well as the rewards reaped during the TdF. Naturally, Coyle also includes discussions of cheating, diet, and all manner of superstition. This is all contained in pp. 315-323, and I'd recommend anyone new to cycling or the Tour actually start with this quick little overview.

[D. L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good read and great insight into a very intriguing sport.

Lots of interesting characters...both riders and those who are on the side of the road. Some are good; some, not so good.

A must read for any cyclist or anyone trying to understand bicycle racing. A good read for anyone interested in exploring another aspect of the sports entertainment industry, associated worldwide organizations, and entwining politics.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. The author does not fall into the trap of hero worship of his subject matter, as happens far too often in biographies. Of course, this is somewhat a mix of biography and story of the world of professional cycling (and the 2004 Tour de France, in particular). For someone who knows little about cycling, this gave me a fascinating account of the sub-culture and demands of the sport. Of course, it also gave great insight on Armstrong. Without the proof that has come out in the past few months showing he cheated, this book doesn't accuse him of cheating but does give a voice to past accusers. (It also gives a voice to Lance defenders.). Overall, the picture painted of Armstrong is of an intense, competitive control freak who sees the world in black and white. Well done.

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

This nonfiction examination of Lance Armstrong’s performance in the 7th tour de France he won provides an inside look at bicycle racing and the competition it breeds. The author doesn’t just give details about Lance and what he has accomplished. The book features interviews and data about many of the major competitors. It unabashedly looks at the evidence for and against Lance’s claim never to have used performance drugs. It does, however, record the language of the participants, complete with F words. It presents a fascinating, but not idealized, picture of the sport. I wouldn’t recommend it to any except those truly interested in competition, especially bike racing.

[Capitol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent in-depth analysis of the world of pro cycling. Daniel Coyle takes you deep inside the pro peloton giving the cycling fan unprecedented access to some of the key figures in cycling over the last ten years.

[Lois Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring...Loved it~!

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew nothing about Lance Armstrong beyond his being a Tour de France cyclist who was accused of doping.

More statistical than gossip in spite of the cover blurb. It portrays him in the mold of Trump - egotistical, demanding 100% loyalty and dumping anyone who angers or disagrees with him. I didn’t like him from page one and my distain increased with each chapter.

The writing was fine and excellent research was done, but it is pretty boring to read 326 pages of racing between people I have never heard of. The Sheryl Crow episodes were rather off putting, as well.

I am now going to Google to get “the rest of the story”.

The book made it sound like he was raised by a single mother with no male influence. His mother remarried when he was 3 and he was adopted by Armstrong. Google was more informative than the book!

[Kathy Stone · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my second book on Procycling and unfortunately it is further back in time than my previous read. There are still the allegations of doping, but since this book is focused on the 2004 Tour de France there is no substantial proof. The admittance on Oprah is very recent and that book is not written yet. It will be very interesting to read what the cycling world journalists have to say now that there has been full disclosure.

No, I still do not like the character of Lance Armstrong. He comes off as mean and cocky. The book ends with him suing his former mechanic, Mike Anderson. What kind of a man sues an employee who did not steal from them. Armstrong has nothing nice to say about any former teammates and that is a little strange to me. Maybe I do not understand the sporting world very well. I never hero-worshipped the jocks in school. Celebrity status means little to me. I like what I like. Other people's opinion may influence initial purchasing decisions, but not what stays in my life.

Since this book is about a year in cycling. The year Lance Armstrong won his sixth Tour de France, there are many details about cycling culture. Bicyclists are a superstitious lot and Coyle does describe many rituals and the reasons behind them. There is very human elements in the telling of this year. I think the biggest issue I have with this book is that Lance Armstrong approved it and that is wrong. I guess because of fear of a libel suit it is better to let Lance know what one wants to write about him, but that shows a bias towards his side of the story. There are many books yet to be written about cycling and the decade that Lance Armstrong dominated the sport.

Not to take his celebrity status completely from him. He is a cancer survivor and does raise a lot of money for research. He even meets with a few chosen survivors, but like everything with celebrity He can not please all of his fans. Many people are disappointed and yell at him. It probably is heart breaking to want to meet someone and find out that someone else had the opportunity that you wanted. He can only have so much time with training and resting. It is not possible to meet everyone.

It is interesting in this book as he is dating Sheryl Crow at the time. Because of her rock star status she has more access to him than most wives and girlfriends are allowed by the rules of the peleton. She is taking meals with the team and everything that a woman is not supposed to do by tradition. Of course eight years later and we all know the relationship did not work. Two large egos cannot possibly make a life together because one must give too much of themselves for it to work.

This was a decent read and I learned a lot. I just cannot rate it higher as the subject is not a good upstanding character.

[Jtomassetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

LANCE ARMSTRONG TOUR DE FORCE by Daniel Coyne and INSIDE THE POSTAL BUS by Michael Berry both cover the 2004 US Postal Team cycling season. It was the season Lance Armstrong won his 6th Tour De France and when he was dating Sheryl Crow. Daniel Coyne is a professional writer who was given inside access to Lance Armstrong and the team during the 2004 season. Michael Berry is a professional cyclist who rode for US Postal for several seasons.

Daniel Coyne’s about Lance Armstrong book goes deep into the details of the season covering Lance’s preparation, team tactics, Dr. Michele Ferrari, the David Walsh book, Lance’s rivals Ulrich Mayo, Vinokourov and Hamilton, and Lance’s team mates such as Floyd Landis and George Hincapie. Coyne accurately covers the controversies of the season but he does seem to stay on Lance’s side when writing. Thebook also briefly covers the 2005 season. This book is well written and it is a must read for cycling fans.

Coyne’s book barely mention’s Michael Berry, however, Berry was a member of US Postal in 2004. The Postal Bus book covers the 2004 season without focusing on Lance Armstrong as Berry was not on the 9 man Postal team that won the 2004 Tour De France. We get more details on the Vuelta, the Olympics and smaller US Postal races. The book includes short articles written by team mates George Hincapie, Christian Vande Velde, and his professional rider wife Dede.

Berry’s book is interesting but compared to Coyne’s book it is light and humorous. While Coyne spent entire chapters on the controversies, Berry only mentions them in passing. Berry’s perspective is interesting because he is just a team member and not a superstar like Lance. Both books are readable but Coyne’s book is much better.

[Bill Palladino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coyle details one cycling season in the life of this sports icon. It is not just any season. It starts at the beginning of his attempt to win his sixth consecutive Tour de France. The iron man is off balance a bit. Divorce behind him, a blasphemous book about to be published accusing him of blood doping, intrigue in the cycling world, teams in shambles, and don't forget his new girlfriend Sheryl Crow. A great set up for catastrophe if I ever saw one. But you already know the rest of the story. This is an easy read, filled with interesting details that pull you along. Worth the time, especially for me several years and two more Tour wins later. This would be a wonderful guidebook to fill in the behind the scenes elements to the 2004 Tour DVDs. Coyle reveals a lot of the unsaid and unseen. Although, through his own words Coyle suggests Armstrong wouldn't let anyone close who would write something detrimental. So one must wonder what Coyle left out of the story. Yet he uncovers so much more the Bob Roll and his associates could say during the OLN coverage. They didn't want to dull the sheen of our new American hero.

It's clear to anyone reading this that there is a dark side to Mr. Armstrong. A ruthlessness. Certainly it serves a purpose that only a champion like him can understand. I'll not venture to say I understand it. Though it definitely leaves you cold in terms of the charisma Lance projects in the public. "Just don't get too close," it warns lest "the shit that kills them" rubs off on you.

[Sean Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book pretty much rules. If you have an interest in professional cycling, you’ve probably already read it. If you don’t have an interest in pro cycling, well, you should. No sport mixes cutting edge science, the limits of human endurance, complex tactics and horrific physical pain into a more engaging final product. I mean come on, I know all about hemocrit levels thanks to my interest in little dudes in tights.

This book is first about a report following Lance’s attempt to gain a sixth Tour de France victory. You get a real sense of what a driven psychopath he is. Lance is apparently not a very nice guy to work for. He holds grudges; he hates his enemies with an unhealthly passion. But he wins bike races, and he is a really compelling nutcase to follow.

But this book is more than a book about Lance. It is a great primer to pro cycling, giving you sense of who these mostly working class kids with nothing to lose* are and how they and their teams go about trying to win the Tour. I found it totally fascinating.


*comparing the upper middle class roadie culture of America to the often blighted upbringings of the stars of the pro circuit.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't normally read books like this: one off topical books by journalists looking to cash in on some sort of phenomenon. 300 page articles with a hard cover, a 25 dollar price tag, fated to end up in yard sales in 10 years, picked up for a dollar and an ounce of curiosity. (I bought it because it was on sale at the Strand for four dollars.) I don't even really like Lance Armstrong, he just seems like a highly motivated, highly aggressive, umm, dickhead. (And hypocrite. How could he NOT have doped?)

But still, all that aside, this is a pretty enjoyable and readable book, and a good introduction to the world of competitive cycling. Nothing revelatory or mind blowing, but packed with great details and facts.

For example, I learned that a) "no other animal or machine... can move through space as energy-efficiently as a human being on a bicycle" b) almost every major rider on the Tour de France lost a parent at an early age or went through some major early childhood trauma c) the Tour is the most physically grueling sporting event on the planet, like running a marathon every day for three weeks.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book pulled me in because I find the dedication these guys have to the sport fascinating. Plus, I find the question of the use of performance enhancing drugs, its acceptance (or not?) in the sport intriguing because of the morality (not religious, but the right and wrong of it all) questions it involves, plus I think there are huge health risks involved that seem to be overlooked by the racers. If a guy is doping, and confesses, three cheers to him no matter the cost - and if he is doping, and lies about it, I think eventually the truth will reveal itself.

I like the way the author characterizes the racers, and the description of the race itself. I like to think of racer 100, and whether that racer will be #1 some day.

An aside: I wish there were more coverage of the Tour on mainstream channels - I found only 1 hour of coverage (on CBS I believe) this morning. Thank goodness for velonews.com.

I would recommend this book if you are interested in the sport!

[Heather Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I'm a pro-cycling fan, so this book was a bit more interesting to me than it would be to those who don't follow pro-cycling. BUT, let me say that I'm also not a die-hard cycling follower. The Tour de France gives me more joy every summer than anything I can think of, and I also enjoy watching smaller events throughout the year - Tour de Georgia, Tour de California, etc. The thing is, I love stories of personal struggles & triumphs. I love stories about the human process, and this book really showed not just Lance Armstrong's discipline and dominance of pro-cycling, but of all the pro-cyclists struggles, and the general lifestyle of the team members. As well, it gives a good overview of the intricate strategies involved during a race and the challenges facing the sport as a whole.

Okay, so if you have no interest in cycling... don't read the book.

[Brian Beckwith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stars is because I'm a pro-cycling fan and avid cyclist and found the science behind what these guys do fascinating. If you aren't into this sport the discussions of power per kilogram and cadence may be too much for you to bear for 300+ pages. It's also intersting to get a behind the scenes look at (who I believe) is one of the most fascinating sports icons ever, whether you're a fan of him or not. However, if you cut out the tech-talk, this is basically a really long magazine article.

So, if you're a cyclist, or a fan, I suggest picking this one up, you'll probably learn a few things. Otherwise, I don't think it's for the masses.

[Garrett Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coyle follows Armstrong and a few of his rivals for a season, culminating with the Tour de France. While Coyle never outright bashes Armstrong, he paints an often-unflattering picture of an obsessed (yes, it is about the bike), controlling, trapped-in-perpetual-adolescence celebrity/athlete who lives his life in sound bites, surrounds himself with "bros," and works harder than anyone in the sport. Tyler Hamilton, one of the rivals, must have made a better impression on Coyle, though Coyle's flattering descriptions are shaded by Hamilton's failed doping tests after that year's Tour. This is one of those rare cycling books where you don't need to be a fan to enjoy it (though it doesn't hurt).

[Jim Holscher · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want an entertaining lesson in the pro cycling peloton there is no other stop than this book. Mr. Coyle takes you into the training rooms, down ever descent, and up every hill climb giving you a real look at what the peloton is really like.

Coyle doesn't shirk the controversies either. He hits the doping scandals head on and gives all sides a proper hearing.

The real triumph here though is the sheer readability and entertainment contained in the book.

Coyle pains a beautiful picture that makes you want to jump on a bike or at least turn on the Telly and watch a tour. A complete triumph!!

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Add this to the list of guilty pleasures. Even though it's been several years since Lance Armstrong rode the Tour de France, and even more years since his glory days of victory, this is a hugely entertaining book for anyone who spends their July evenings watching a bunch of guys in spandex duel it out in the alps. Lots of great facts about the Tour and cycling in general, including how cyclists determine each others' fitness when spring training begins and I'll never forget Dan Coyle's description of watching the peleton go by, and his surprise to see his 3-year-old daughter mooning them! (Is there any way that story won't make it into the poor girl's wedding toasts?)

[Book Warehouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started watching the Tour de France, I couldn't understand why all those racers would work for the glory of one man when almost any of them could win stages. Now I see it more as a chess game, a battle of wills, strategies, media, and technology. Lance Armstrong's War is a behind-the-scenes look at a legendary champion and his team during the 2004 race. With Lance, you are friend or enemy with no in-between, so it's fascinating that he let a journalist into his world to see where the legend meets the man and to read about the mind games he plays as he out-races and out-strategizes everyone else in the field.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the author Daniel Coyle's writing style.

He really provided a great look not just into Lance Armstrong but his entire team, fellow riders, support staff and how they prepared for and go through a Tour de France. I am also inspired to read more about Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis and their stories.

I also enjoyed reading about Lance's supporters like Robin Williams. (I had no idea that he was a bycicling enthusiest.) Also during the time this was written reading about Lance's girlfriend Sheryl Crowe.

Anyway a great read from cover to cover, the author captures a great flow to it all and I plan on reading other books by Coyle.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Coyle had unprecedented access to Team Armstrong insiders; the details in his storytelling let the seven-time champion's actions and words reveal his demons, motivation, discipline and pressures, as well as explore the doping rumors and associated cast of characters without making judgments. "War" goes light years beyond the "authorized" books. It thoroughly covers the business end of the cycling world, and shows what a Tour champion's life, regimen, technical support and team dynamics must entail. Fascinating!

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting - I couldn't decide whether it made me respect Lance more or less after reading his first autobiography (It's Not About the Bike). I thought the author portrayed him and his colleagues fairly - he didn't try to make Lance look better and others worse. But I still don't know if I think Lance is the "real thing." Is he a doper or not? I don't know. Perhaps we never will. But either he is one of the greatest--or the absolute greatest--athlete of all time, or his downfall will be one of greatest of all time if he really is a doper. I hope he's not.

[Marianne Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know, I hadn't read any of these "Lance" books, I never was caught up in the Lance fandom. I didn't like him, he seemed to function with "everyone is against me, f*** them." And this book confirms that, yes, that is who he is. Exhausting to live that way. Yes, he fought cancer and that was amazing and has inspired many people, but he has lied about using drugs, and liars ultimately don't win. We'll see what happens in November. As a read, this book is a pretty comprehensive report of a few intense years in cycling, particularly his 6th Tour win with US Postal.

[Brandon Tate · Rating 3 out of 5]

As this book was written during Lance Armstrong's sixth Tour de France win, no substantial proof of his doping had yet been revealed. But knowing of the scandal didn't really rob from the book that much. It spends a lot of time describing the culture of the sport, the strategy involved and the different quirks and traditions the racers had, which was pretty fascinating. The book really takes you into their training, their jokes, their drama, their frustrations and their victories. I didn't love this book, as I had to drag myself through to the end, but I liked it.

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never had the patience to watch the Tour de France, particularly when I knew what the outcome would be (like watching any regular season games for the Yanks), so this was TDF 101 for me. Amrstrong is an animal - mentally and physically. While I never really considered cycling a "sport", this book set me straight. I still need straightening out on jockeys, though. This is an easy read and worth the time if you have ever ridden something other than your childhood Huffy.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great account about the man who punished himself 7 times over to win the hardest race on earth. The inside track revealed in this book offers a glimpse into the life of not only Armstrong, but the scores of other professional cyclists. Individuals who pedal hundreds of miles and see country sides that most of us only dream about share the experiences with the reader. Great time with this one.

[Neil Krasnoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written before Lance Armstong's retirement and offers an unflinching look at his character, both good and bad. I read it well before USADA and the book doesn't really evaluate the evidence that Lance doped, it allows the reader to believe this now confirmed truth. Lance Armstrongs War is no hagiography, but a compelling piece of sports journalism. In light of all the new information, it's still worth reading.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because Daniel Coyle isn't about kissing Lance's butt like everyone else. He sheds light on the other side of Armstrong and tells great cycling stories in the process. He asks the hard questions and puts cycling under the doping microscope, but does it with the respect these athletes deserve as well.