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The Secret Cyclist: Real Life as a Rider in the Professional Peloton
Who is The Secret Cyclist and why all the secrecy?
"Every public aspect of our lives is so tightly controlled that being truly honest is all but impossible in a newspaper interview, never mind a whole book. You try write a warts-and-all blog about your office. Question how the business is run, make sure you remember to call your boss a moron, and then tell me how it goes."
He's ridden for World Tour teams for ten years. He's achieved top ten finishes in Grand Tours. He likes coffee. These are just a few details about the professional rider who wants you to know what the view looks like from the centre of the peloton.
What do the riders really make of Team Sky? How does the pay structure work? Why should you never trust a kit endorsement from a professional? Is doping still an issue? The Secret Cyclist tackles the big questions head-on, revealing a side to cycling that fans have never seen before.
"Every public aspect of our lives is so tightly controlled that being truly honest is all but impossible in a newspaper interview, never mind a whole book. You try write a warts-and-all blog about your office. Question how the business is run, make sure you remember to call your boss a moron, and then tell me how it goes."
He's ridden for World Tour teams for ten years. He's achieved top ten finishes in Grand Tours. He likes coffee. These are just a few details about the professional rider who wants you to know what the view looks like from the centre of the peloton.
What do the riders really make of Team Sky? How does the pay structure work? Why should you never trust a kit endorsement from a professional? Is doping still an issue? The Secret Cyclist tackles the big questions head-on, revealing a side to cycling that fans have never seen before.
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2019
75 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
May 22, 2024
Quite readable, but didn’t feel I learnt very much…but then he isn’t really very secret, as two minutes searching can identify who it probably is
July 1, 2019
The Secret Pro over on Cycling Tips has been a constant go-to for quite some time now. Its insight from the male and female pelotons appears on a very irregular basis, (so it can be disappointing when no article is posted following some big or controversial developments) but as soon as one surfaces, I click over immediately. Of course part of the attraction is trying to piece together details in the articles to try and work out who is behind the keyboard, but the strength of the Secret Pro is that the content is informative and well (ghost) written, so that this is not the overwhelming focus. There have been suggestions that it is the product of more than one pro and their stories merged and the writer often clearly admits to throwing in the odd red herring to frustrate the amateur sleuths, but no matter what the theories, it is always worth a read - it is just a shame that the dispatches from the SHEcret Pro who reports from the women's bunch are even rarer than the male one.
That lead me to this book, which arrived with no fanfare last month- in fact I came across it when browsing in a book shop next to work one lunch time. I normally am quite alert to new books (for example I'm looking forward to William Fotheringham's Beryl Burton offering) so to just happen upon it was a bit strange. It should also be clearly noted that this is not the Cycling Tips Secret Pro- it is generally recognised that he is an antipodean whereas it is more probable-than-not that the unnamed author here is European. But you would expect a book, based on an insider view of the world of pro-cycling to have more of a buzz about it- particularly when thinking about some of the more recent issues that most of us would dearly love to know what the pros really thought- eg Froome and Wiggins' TUE shenanigans, mechanical fraud, DSs and coaches with links to the bad old days etc
So of course the obvious question- who is the secret cyclist? Did I work it out? Well we will come to that- at the end...
The writing style is quite simple and clear- either this is mostly the work of the cyclist himself or the ghost writer avoided the temptation to avoid any stylistic flourishes. It is basically "this is what happened, this is what I think about it" and to be fair this is probably a strength- this is basically gossip and it is the what happened and why that readers will be interested in, not a more up to date Krabbé or Jean Bobet masterclass in writing about cycling.
Rather than add too many spoilers, it probably makes sense just to briefly summarise some of the topics touched on by the Secret Cyclist, rather than go into detail about what he thinks about them. Phil Gaimon, famous now for his cookie makin', KoM takin' post-retirement antics actually gets a bit of a hard time in the book. Sky/ INEOS are discussed, as well as various controversies over the past few years. Certain equipment brands may not be pleased with the less than glowing (no pun intended) references but then that is the benefit of anonymity ( though some folk may take umbrage with Gaimon's treatment since he actually puts his name to his output).
There are more personal reflections too- about the day to day life, and the need to balance family and relationships alongside training and competition. The SC discusses the decision he and his wife made as to where to actually live, and how work-life balance was key to that. One chapter is actually written by his wife, to give another interesting perspective but one thing that underpins the whole book is the high level of self-awareness exhibited by the author. He is very aware of the bubble in which he lives, and discusses his attempts to have a sustainable life that keeps him in the right place mentally, as well as his preparations for retirement (the Phil Ochs fan in me struggled to avoid using "Rehearsals for Retirement" there...).
The book is easily and quickly read, and may be of a wider interest than just die-hard fans- for example my wife picked it up and was quite interested to read through quite a few chapters. While not choc-a-bloc with earth-shattering expositions, it does sate the desire to find out what (at least some sections of the) World Tour pros think about outside of dull, media trained interviews. However they did have to be careful in case his identify became known because some DSs and equipment manufacturers might not be very pleased with their portrayal. And that leads back to the first point I raised- can the identity of SC be worked out? Actually I think it can, and quite easily with a wee bit of effort. About 20 minutes on Procyclingstats and picking up on a few comments that were designed to be throwaway but reveal more they seem and I am convinced there is only one person who fits the bill. Who is it? That would be giving the game away but if I put on my cryptic crossword hat all I will say is "that options are initially limited...".
That lead me to this book, which arrived with no fanfare last month- in fact I came across it when browsing in a book shop next to work one lunch time. I normally am quite alert to new books (for example I'm looking forward to William Fotheringham's Beryl Burton offering) so to just happen upon it was a bit strange. It should also be clearly noted that this is not the Cycling Tips Secret Pro- it is generally recognised that he is an antipodean whereas it is more probable-than-not that the unnamed author here is European. But you would expect a book, based on an insider view of the world of pro-cycling to have more of a buzz about it- particularly when thinking about some of the more recent issues that most of us would dearly love to know what the pros really thought- eg Froome and Wiggins' TUE shenanigans, mechanical fraud, DSs and coaches with links to the bad old days etc
So of course the obvious question- who is the secret cyclist? Did I work it out? Well we will come to that- at the end...
The writing style is quite simple and clear- either this is mostly the work of the cyclist himself or the ghost writer avoided the temptation to avoid any stylistic flourishes. It is basically "this is what happened, this is what I think about it" and to be fair this is probably a strength- this is basically gossip and it is the what happened and why that readers will be interested in, not a more up to date Krabbé or Jean Bobet masterclass in writing about cycling.
Rather than add too many spoilers, it probably makes sense just to briefly summarise some of the topics touched on by the Secret Cyclist, rather than go into detail about what he thinks about them. Phil Gaimon, famous now for his cookie makin', KoM takin' post-retirement antics actually gets a bit of a hard time in the book. Sky/ INEOS are discussed, as well as various controversies over the past few years. Certain equipment brands may not be pleased with the less than glowing (no pun intended) references but then that is the benefit of anonymity ( though some folk may take umbrage with Gaimon's treatment since he actually puts his name to his output).
There are more personal reflections too- about the day to day life, and the need to balance family and relationships alongside training and competition. The SC discusses the decision he and his wife made as to where to actually live, and how work-life balance was key to that. One chapter is actually written by his wife, to give another interesting perspective but one thing that underpins the whole book is the high level of self-awareness exhibited by the author. He is very aware of the bubble in which he lives, and discusses his attempts to have a sustainable life that keeps him in the right place mentally, as well as his preparations for retirement (the Phil Ochs fan in me struggled to avoid using "Rehearsals for Retirement" there...).
The book is easily and quickly read, and may be of a wider interest than just die-hard fans- for example my wife picked it up and was quite interested to read through quite a few chapters. While not choc-a-bloc with earth-shattering expositions, it does sate the desire to find out what (at least some sections of the) World Tour pros think about outside of dull, media trained interviews. However they did have to be careful in case his identify became known because some DSs and equipment manufacturers might not be very pleased with their portrayal. And that leads back to the first point I raised- can the identity of SC be worked out? Actually I think it can, and quite easily with a wee bit of effort. About 20 minutes on Procyclingstats and picking up on a few comments that were designed to be throwaway but reveal more they seem and I am convinced there is only one person who fits the bill. Who is it? That would be giving the game away but if I put on my cryptic crossword hat all I will say is "that options are initially limited...".
June 4, 2023
Less surprising than I thought it would be. Whilst it is clearly written from a Birds Eye view of being inside the peloton on as a pretty accomplished professional rider it lacks the gossip and intrigue that perhaps I was expecting. I’ve read a lot of cycling autobiographies. I think this actually suffers from being anonymous because you never really get a feel for the man behind the pen.
August 14, 2019
Kinda disappointing.
September 18, 2022
Interesting as I'm new to cycling. Don't agree with everything they say and expected a few more name drops but interesting still.
October 11, 2023
Enjoyable but not earth shattering. Wouldn’t say there’s much more in there than most other cycling autobiography’s.
More relevant when released a lot of the riders mentioned have retired or close to
More relevant when released a lot of the riders mentioned have retired or close to
November 13, 2020
Nothing unique here but interesting none the less
September 18, 2024
I listened to an audio version of this book with keen anticipation that the inner workings of the peloton would be revealed, warts and all. I was hoping for something as good as David Millar’s book Racing through the Dark but it did not come close.
I was very disappointed and had to abandon it at Chapter 9. It turned out to be a mainly workmanlike description of the life of a professional cyclist.
I have no idea why it was called ‘The Secret Cyclist’. He seemed to steer clear of dealing with anything controversial.
I was very disappointed and had to abandon it at Chapter 9. It turned out to be a mainly workmanlike description of the life of a professional cyclist.
I have no idea why it was called ‘The Secret Cyclist’. He seemed to steer clear of dealing with anything controversial.
March 2, 2023
Excellent Insight into the world of professional bike racing.
Cleverly written...
Cleverly written...
April 9, 2025
Should have read it a few years ago, but very interesting and enlightening.
My guess - Robert Gesink or Bauke Mollema
My guess - Robert Gesink or Bauke Mollema
March 27, 2024
professional cyclist on world tour including Tour de France gives anonymous account of the highs and lows
nothing earth-shattering, but touches on financial precarious position of teams and many riders, doping, family impact and the changes in lifestyle over his career, more controlled less personal
nothing earth-shattering, but touches on financial precarious position of teams and many riders, doping, family impact and the changes in lifestyle over his career, more controlled less personal
December 30, 2024
Bit cowardly to publish this anonymously. All the hype about secrets revealed and it actually only amounts to some s*** talking and then the same ol’, same ol’ about eating, sleeping, cycling…
January 1, 2020
I'm not sure the author needed to be as anonymous as he indicated. A good read, but not full of such inside information where (I think...as a total not-a-professional cyclist) he was giving away anything that would get him in trouble. I enjoyed this, but this isn't _Ball Four_ for bikes.
May 31, 2019
Not as insightful as I was hoping - no great secrets are divulged - but honest and interesting. Now to work out who he is....
August 1, 2019
Interesting info about the cycling world, but nothing that demands a recommendation.
September 23, 2020
This could be one of the best books on the circus that is WordTour cycling written from the inside. There are quite a few quality books out there written by cyclists who rode at the highest level of the sport, but this might be the only one written while the cyclist is still in the pro peloton.
It might not be too difficult with a little digging to find out who The Secret Cyclist is, but that would truly defeat the entire purpose of this book.
If you want to just read about doping and all the dirt that goes on behind the scenes in pro cycling, don't bother. Yes, there is plenty of that, but this book is much more than that. It's a glimpse not only at what happens in the peloton, but what happens in the mind of a rider at the top of his game. You get the sense that whoever authored this book is torn between many aspects of the sport but is also deeply in love with racing his bike. And for anyone who has ever raced their bike, it's a fantastic insight into the levels that very few achieve.
The book is broken up into chapters outlining different aspects of racing a bike on a team, specific races, and what I found quite interesting a chapter on a specific team (Sky). The most refreshing part is that the author does not hold back on dishing out the same criticism that those of us on the outside have been saying over some of the recent controversies that have befallen on the team and some of its riders. The chapter I found totally refreshing was the one written by his wife! Was not expecting that at all, but really puts the life of a pro cyclist in perspective.
When you read this, the way its worded, and the cadence of the sentences, you really get the feeling most of it was written in hotel rooms by a tired cyclist waiting for the day to end, so he can ride/race his bike the next day. It feels honest, and the words not massaged by a co-writer before going to print.
Highly recommended
It might not be too difficult with a little digging to find out who The Secret Cyclist is, but that would truly defeat the entire purpose of this book.
If you want to just read about doping and all the dirt that goes on behind the scenes in pro cycling, don't bother. Yes, there is plenty of that, but this book is much more than that. It's a glimpse not only at what happens in the peloton, but what happens in the mind of a rider at the top of his game. You get the sense that whoever authored this book is torn between many aspects of the sport but is also deeply in love with racing his bike. And for anyone who has ever raced their bike, it's a fantastic insight into the levels that very few achieve.
The book is broken up into chapters outlining different aspects of racing a bike on a team, specific races, and what I found quite interesting a chapter on a specific team (Sky). The most refreshing part is that the author does not hold back on dishing out the same criticism that those of us on the outside have been saying over some of the recent controversies that have befallen on the team and some of its riders. The chapter I found totally refreshing was the one written by his wife! Was not expecting that at all, but really puts the life of a pro cyclist in perspective.
When you read this, the way its worded, and the cadence of the sentences, you really get the feeling most of it was written in hotel rooms by a tired cyclist waiting for the day to end, so he can ride/race his bike the next day. It feels honest, and the words not massaged by a co-writer before going to print.
Highly recommended
July 22, 2024
This was partly a reflection of life as a professional cyclist, and partly a few essays musing on the sport in general. The former was interesting, the latter was too trite and generic, and added very little to writing about the sport.
The idea, not new in the world of sports publishing, was that an anonymous author would be able to shine a light on the peleton unseen by the layperson. On occasions this worked, with specific allegations against Cancellara and an honesty about how he approached his latest contract, but much of it, such as the change in attitudes towards socialising and drinking, didn't require anonymity.
On specifics during a race, the details added to a fuller picture of professional cycling, along with the realities of training programmes, and having to be on the job full time to log performance and locations. A lot of the fairly short book was confined to somewhat unoriginal opinions, such as descents being part of cycling but dangerous to attack, crashing being part of cycling but it shouldn't be too dangerous, and journalists stirring up trouble.
The anonymity also meant he couldn't go into too many details and it made the book quite impersonal, without having the depth of other 'Secret' authors when it came to other subjects. Perhaps cycling isn't that exciting and a lot was cut, or perhaps he didn't have much to say. Either way, the book had the odd useful nugget but much of the second half was forgettable.
The idea, not new in the world of sports publishing, was that an anonymous author would be able to shine a light on the peleton unseen by the layperson. On occasions this worked, with specific allegations against Cancellara and an honesty about how he approached his latest contract, but much of it, such as the change in attitudes towards socialising and drinking, didn't require anonymity.
On specifics during a race, the details added to a fuller picture of professional cycling, along with the realities of training programmes, and having to be on the job full time to log performance and locations. A lot of the fairly short book was confined to somewhat unoriginal opinions, such as descents being part of cycling but dangerous to attack, crashing being part of cycling but it shouldn't be too dangerous, and journalists stirring up trouble.
The anonymity also meant he couldn't go into too many details and it made the book quite impersonal, without having the depth of other 'Secret' authors when it came to other subjects. Perhaps cycling isn't that exciting and a lot was cut, or perhaps he didn't have much to say. Either way, the book had the odd useful nugget but much of the second half was forgettable.
November 2, 2020
This cycling book explores professional cycling from inside the active peloton. If you are a fan (or even ex-pro or current pro) it's a mystery who wrote this book. He gives insights for many topics involved in cycling like mechanical doping, equipment, contracts, Grand Tours, training, teams and many other interesting factors. This came out in 2019 but this last year (2020) had some new topics someone should write about. Like racism in cycling, cyclist's protests and how unorganized they are, and just how much the UCI doesn't really care about their riders safety. Plus this years Tours (so far) like the TDF and the Giro have became jewels of cycling history, even the rise and dominance of a wealth of young stars at all levels in the peloton. Oh and did I forget how strange it was to be a cycling fan in 2020? Oh yea, back to the book. It's an interesting read and after its all said and done I have done some research but still do not know who wrote this nice book. Anyway who ever wrote it you got about $13 from me to help with your retirement or help with funding your team. Good Luck!
January 11, 2022
Very easy-to-read book due to the very fluent way of letting the thoughts out while and difficulty of the topic. The book gave me a nice peek into the professional cycling world, which I as a fan and bike enthusiast really appreciated. The author touches all topics, including maybe controversial ones, such as doping or the role of UCI, and gives a very honest opinion on it. I can imagine that the book could be very helpful for any aspiring young rider, any cycling fan or just someone who is generally interested in sports. I was missing any tips for amateurs riders resp enthusiasts, but the book was not aiming to provide these. Within its category, I think the book deserves the good rating. 3,5/5
July 15, 2025
not sure why he needed to be anonymous as there's nothing particularly revelatory in this. if you've read any of the articles he's written it's essentially an expanded, collected version of those. There's little here that a knowledge fan won't already be familiar with.
it's interesting in so far as it's a record of the pre COVID, pre Pogacar era. Froome gets mentioned a lot. the author is pretty sympathetic to froome which I feel like will likely age badly. to be fair he is damning of team sky particularly the jiggy bag and Dr freeman stuff. on nutrition there's only a brief mention in terms of calories rather than the emphasis on carbs per hour which we see today
a decent read but don't go into thinking there's any bombshells
it's interesting in so far as it's a record of the pre COVID, pre Pogacar era. Froome gets mentioned a lot. the author is pretty sympathetic to froome which I feel like will likely age badly. to be fair he is damning of team sky particularly the jiggy bag and Dr freeman stuff. on nutrition there's only a brief mention in terms of calories rather than the emphasis on carbs per hour which we see today
a decent read but don't go into thinking there's any bombshells
August 23, 2019
A fine insight to the world of professional cycling, that gives an idea of what is going on inside of the bikers head. The secret cyclist has an aura of a grumpy old man, that prefers how things used to be in professional cycling. That feels quite funny, and at it’s best the book is ranting in the Giro start in Israel 2018, or is having a romanticized view on the sharing of porn magazines.
Unfortunately the book repeats itself a lot a times, and that feels tiring. Yes, Mr. Secret. We got that you miss a beer, your family and the socializing with the other pros... You don’t need to tell it over and over again.
Unfortunately the book repeats itself a lot a times, and that feels tiring. Yes, Mr. Secret. We got that you miss a beer, your family and the socializing with the other pros... You don’t need to tell it over and over again.
May 17, 2020
Not quite sure about it. A kind of memoir of a rider that wants to be annonymus because he is still active in pro peloton. A subjective view and some insgihts but a lot of times just feels like gossiping. At time reader gets a feeling it is sponsored when a part of equipment is called out as very good compared to other company. Probably would be taken much more serious if author would have the guts to put his name on, but he is concerned it will affect his world in cycling. Why write than? Read if you are a hardcore cylcing fan, you will not miss anything if you skip it otherwise.
October 5, 2023
Książka 4/10
Łatwo i dobrze się to czyta. Czy jest porywająca? Nie. Czy jest odkrywcza? Nie. Czy wnosi cokolwiek nowego? Nie.
Książka jest jak te cholerne tytuły na znanych portalach. Oby tylko w nie kliknąć. Tak tutaj, oby tylko ją kupić… Jedyna różnica na plus, że jest lepiej napisana.
Jeśli ktoś interesuje się tematem, to nie dowie się tutaj nic nowego.
Nie polecam.
10 - Arcydzieło;
9 - Wybitna;
8 - Bardzo dobra;
7 - Dobra;
6 - Może być;
5 - Średnia;
4 - Taka se;
3 - Skończyłem z musu;
2 - Tragedia;
1 - Gorzej niż tragedia — nie wiem, jak skończyłem;
Łatwo i dobrze się to czyta. Czy jest porywająca? Nie. Czy jest odkrywcza? Nie. Czy wnosi cokolwiek nowego? Nie.
Książka jest jak te cholerne tytuły na znanych portalach. Oby tylko w nie kliknąć. Tak tutaj, oby tylko ją kupić… Jedyna różnica na plus, że jest lepiej napisana.
Jeśli ktoś interesuje się tematem, to nie dowie się tutaj nic nowego.
Nie polecam.
10 - Arcydzieło;
9 - Wybitna;
8 - Bardzo dobra;
7 - Dobra;
6 - Może być;
5 - Średnia;
4 - Taka se;
3 - Skończyłem z musu;
2 - Tragedia;
1 - Gorzej niż tragedia — nie wiem, jak skończyłem;
August 6, 2025
Would have been five stars- but this is a very short book.
It tackles all the thorny issues in cycling - from day to day, life on the road, doping, kit, nutrition - and it is a very honest and unapologetic view of the road racing world. Not complicated, and reveals what most cyclists know - if you don’t put in the work, and you don’t have the talent then you can take as many drugs as you want it won’t help.
Oh, and we all know who it is, but that is part of the fun of these ‘The Secret…’ books.
It tackles all the thorny issues in cycling - from day to day, life on the road, doping, kit, nutrition - and it is a very honest and unapologetic view of the road racing world. Not complicated, and reveals what most cyclists know - if you don’t put in the work, and you don’t have the talent then you can take as many drugs as you want it won’t help.
Oh, and we all know who it is, but that is part of the fun of these ‘The Secret…’ books.
December 1, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's a nice insight into life as a professional road cyclist.
It is well written and had me instantly speculating and trying to figure out who the author is. Is it written by Mitch Docker, Chris Froome, or Adam Hansen? After hours of trying to piece it together looking at start lists and team rosters, I turn every corner facing a dead end and am left scratching my head.
It is well written and had me instantly speculating and trying to figure out who the author is. Is it written by Mitch Docker, Chris Froome, or Adam Hansen? After hours of trying to piece it together looking at start lists and team rosters, I turn every corner facing a dead end and am left scratching my head.
August 31, 2024
If I could have given this 3.5 stars, I would have, but it was closer to a three than a four. As a cycling fan, this told me absolutely nothing I didn't already know, but it would serve as a good introduction to a newcomer. The "Secret Cyclist" seemed far too concerned with hiding their identity, to the detriment of the book. Everything felt very generalised and "safe" - not really worth hiding the name to be honest!
September 28, 2025
While the book offers great insights into the life and thoughts of professional athletes in general and cyclists in particular, a considerable number of points are made repeatedly with no positive effect. Stylistically, the book is very pragmatic and focused, which delivers its contents efficiently but rather joyless. Only the author's hidden identity is rather fun and enters some suspense and guesswork. Nevertheless, it's a worthwhile read, especially if you're into cycling.
December 6, 2025
I enjoyed the book because I’m a cyclist and started to become passionate about the World Tour. It shed light on many aspects of the life of professional cycling I did not know about. The author is very fair, recognizing both the pros and cons, but overall I felt like the mood was rather negative. Because the author is an former pro and not a writer, the writing is so-so. I anyways found it interesting, but it wasn’t a very enjoyable read.
August 21, 2021
Niestety, książka totalnie zawiodła, nawet mnie - amatora kolarstwa.
Można powiedzieć, że do połowy publikacji wiało nudą. Dopiero od rozdziału o TdFrance zaczęło coś się dziać. Rozdział o Sky czy dopingu... Myślałam, że skoro autor pisze jako anonim, to jakoś bardziej rozwinie te wątki. Niestety, mimo dosyć sporej liczby stron, mało co się dowiedziałam. Na plus język - dosyć lekki i przyjemny.
Można powiedzieć, że do połowy publikacji wiało nudą. Dopiero od rozdziału o TdFrance zaczęło coś się dziać. Rozdział o Sky czy dopingu... Myślałam, że skoro autor pisze jako anonim, to jakoś bardziej rozwinie te wątki. Niestety, mimo dosyć sporej liczby stron, mało co się dowiedziałam. Na plus język - dosyć lekki i przyjemny.
July 27, 2022
The book is all right in itself and gives some insight into the world of the pro peloton, however it's quite shallow compared to - let's say - Tyler Hamilton's book. Hungarian translation is below par. A book should not be published with this quality of a translation. Read it in original language folks!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews