23 Days in July: Inside the Tour de France and Lance Armstrong's Record-Breaking Victory

by John Wilcockson, Graham Watson (Photographs)

Taking place over twenty-three days in July and across more than 2,100 miles of smooth blacktop, rough cobblestones, and punishing mountain terrain, the Tour de France is the most grueling sports event in the world. And in 2004, five-time champion Lance Armstrong set out to achieve what no other cyclist in the 100-year history of the race had ever win a sixth Tour de France.Armstrong had four serious challengers who wanted nothing more than to deny the man the French call Le Boss from achieving his goal. The major threat among them was the only other former Tour de France champion in last year's race, Germany's Jan Ullrich- The Kaiser . But when the race was over, Lance Armstrong once again wore the yellow jersey of victory.

Genres: Cycling, Sports, Biography, Nonfiction, Fitness

344 pages, Paperback

First published October 26, 2004

About the author

John Wilcockson has been writing about cycling for four decades. He has been the editor of five cycling magazines, was the first cycling correspondent for The Times, and has won awards for his journalistic services. He has written more than a dozen books. A graduate of the University of London, Wilcockson now lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Reviews

[W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lance Armstrong once seemed superhuman,the man who defied cancer to win the grueling Tour de France again and again.Later,came the doping case and he lost all his titles.This book was published before that and Armstrong is presented as a sporting hero.Cycling is a rather boring sport to watch,but this book makes it interesting by describing the tactics and the rigours of the Tour de France.A day by day account of the 2004 race,which went on for 23 days,and saw Lance Armstrong set a new record.If one forgets about the doping case for a while,this book entertains.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too bad that time only flows in one direction. I read this before Tyler Hamilton's confessional, "The Secret Race," before I read this. It wouldn't hurt to turn back the clock to 2006 either. Unfortunately, neither of those things is possible.

Wilcockson created an almost hagiographic work with this one. At one point early in the book he likens Armstrong to Lazarus, arisen from the grave. Given the times and the accomplishments of Armstrong I suppose that kind of thing is to be expected. Now, however, it leaves a bad taste in one's mouth.

Almost all of the top riders who competed in that Tour have been exposed for their use of banned substances. Not a few have had their titles stripped from them. Fair or not, it is what happened.

Still, the author does present a fairly engaging day-by-day account of the 2004 Tour and includes many other riders in his tale, both current riders and those form the past. I suppose it would have been impossible to speak of Armstrong and the Tour without including Merckx and Hinault and a few other champions. It was good to read of them in the context of the race without the taint that came later.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, especially for the cycling or Armstrong fan.

I really enjoyed reading about Tour history and also the action within the Peloton.

The writer has a bias for Armstrong and it is difficult to not take his point of view. Lance was the best for six years (and may be the best now?). This doesn't detract from the actual book especially with regards to the descriptions of cycling strategy each stage. The end sort of drops off as the writer, reader and racers all realize that it (was) Armstrong's race after the first stage in the Alps.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This started off kind of slow for me but then I loved the details - not too many to be boring - that were included in each chapter, particularly those about other racers besides Lance. I really only ever read text updates about the Tour de France and don't see live coverage on TV or interviews with any of the riders so this book provided a glimpse of some of the personalities that I am not otherwise exposed to. Long live the Tour de France!

[Tedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book not just for lance fans but also fans of the tour de France. The author goes in detail with every stage of the tour providing the reader with a historical background info for each town and village the riders go through. Of course the focus remains on the man himself Lance Armstrong. There's some interesting facts regarding his training regiment that I found in this book which I think all cycling fans would find interesting also.

[Shane Garland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine. I felt like the racing itself could have had more description instead of the various side notes and tangents about the tour itself or random other bits. I mainly was interested in this book to see the author's take on doping in 2004 - he was clearly on Lance's side despite the already rampant doping in the sport and the ridiculousness of Lance's abilities in the race. I guess hindsight is 20:20.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed, day by day, mile by mile account of the 2004 Tour de France, in which Lance Armstrong set out to "win" his record-breaking sixth race. Fascinating for fans of bicycle racing, but I had to deduct points for the adulation heaped on Armstrong and Landis, now that we know they were both part of one of the most extensive doping schemes in the history of sports.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for everyone. I liked it because it gave a day by day account of the stages in the Tour de France. There was nothing particularly new or revealing but it would be enjoyable to anyone obsessed with cycling.

[Davehk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book more or less while I was watching the tail about the world's fastest scotsman, which was an interesting counterpoint.

It's not like the other Lance-toling-away-against-all-odds hagiographies (of which I am such a gushing fanboy).

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book way cooler than I expected got it for 50 cents used at the library. Is about lance but equally about the top racers in the tour that year and equally about historical races and racers on the different stages. Each chapter is a stage and a story.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but it is obvious that the author is a huge Lance fan. He presents a fairly biased view of Armstrong and his performance. His view of doping is very interesting considering Armstrong just admitted to using PEDs. Regardless, I enjoyed the book.

[Len Svitenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book. I loved the inside detail on the cycling team. I read it prior to Lance admitting to performance enhancing drugs. I will say I don't think it takes away from the book. Still great to read about tactics, hard work, etc. Great book.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've ever read about the Tour de France. I read it during the height of Lance's career, but enjoyed it more for the insight it gave me into the strategies and tactics involved in winning any bike race and especially the Tour de France.

[James Laginess · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book that offers an inside look at Armstrong's accomplishments and history of The Tour De France. Even though the successes have since been tainted after revealing his use of PEDs ; I still find great value in the pages of this book! 4 Stars

[Daeny · Rating 3 out of 5]

As they say, hindsight is 20/20. Wilcockson's bias towards Armstrong is pretty obvious here, which makes it hard to slog through the parts about his innocence re: doping. Still some great historical connections, and more focus on the spirit of the sport than other books I've read.

[Reden]

The challenge that is Tour de France.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really don't like Lance Armstrong. For real. But this book is an excellent introduction to the Tour and the world of pro cycling.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a good read when the topic is about cycling and Armstrong

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

less about Lance, more about the behind-the-scenes action of the TdF

[Meg D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at the Tour - not too technical and a good read if you follow Lance!

[Paul Sidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting insights to behind the scenes at the world's most grueling bicycle race, the Tour De France.

[Ben Duhl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of an uneventful year on the Tour. Some good back story to Hamilton and Ullrich. It was weird reading these stories and then learning that most of them were doping anyways...

[Glenn Liguori]

X

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect companion to watching the tour!

[Anna Stedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. would have been excellent except for Lance's foul mouth.

[Michael Smyth · Rating 3 out of 5]

In-depth look at strategies and lifestyles of the Tour de France

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Focus on Le Tour so opinion of Lance does not detract from reading. Wilcockson intersperses past tours and riders with present stages. Includes points of interest along the route. Appendix covers concepts that may be unfamiliar to the novice of this sport.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read this book today - still reeling from post-TDF-withdrawl!