The Medal Factory: British Cycling and the Cost of Gold

by Kenny Pryde

43 Olympic medals. 6 Tour de France victories. Countless world records and world championship victories. Since the year 2000, British Cycling, Team Sky and INEOS have dominated the sport of cycling to an unprecedented degree. But at what cost?

Did Sir David Brailsford, Peter Keen and the other brains behind British Cycling's massive and sudden dominance in the modern era find a winning "Moneyball" formula? Or did their success come down to luck and personal chemistry? Did this organisation, founded on relentless, ruthless efficiency contain contradictions which threatened to overwhelm it, amid accusations of drug-taking, bullying and sexism?

The Medal Factory tells the full story from amateurish beginnings through a sports-science revolution to an all-conquering, yet flawed, machine.

Through interviews with Brailsford and Keen, Shane Sutton, Fran Millar, Chris Boardman, Sir Chris Hoy and many other key players, Kenny Pryde interrogates the parts of the story - lottery funding, marginal gains - that we think we know, and reveals others that have remained hidden, until now.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cycling

320 pages, Hardcover

Published February 20, 2020

Reviews

[Harry]

Poorly researched and badly written.

[Rob]

Admittedly I’m a cycling nerd, but I was gripped by this. It’s a subtle and nuanced examination of how Britain went from a cycling backwater with no grand tour winners to a powerhouse on road and track in twenty years. And, as the title suggests, the ultimate cost of that transformation to athletes, reputations, and the sport.

Pryde has little time for moralising or the dominant narrative about British Cycling and Team Sky and those looking for a tell-all expose would be better suited looking elsewhere. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bone-dry administrative history. Pryde really gets to the heart of what made peak-era British Cycling tick and asks us all to consider what price is too high a price for success in elite sport.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves cycling, cares about sport, or just wants to read an interesting analysis of how social media and the press can strip all nuance and perspective from a narrative.

[Alan Hamilton]

A very well researched and readable history of British Cycling through the halcyon days of track success and Tour de France victories to the more sordid stories of doping. bullying, jiffy bags and missed opportunities.
It's interesting to hear of the funds that were committed to ensure British success on the track and elite road cycling, but not allocated to other cycling disciplines.
Overall, I found it a bit of a depressing read whilst also recognising what is required for British athletes to succeed on the world stage.

[Nigel Pearson]

Interesting read

Balanced view of UK cycling. Interesting to read the history leading to huge success in track cycling and what it takes at elite level to win.

[Zoe Vicarage]

A very good account of British Cycling but felt like it only scratched the surface on some of the bigger issues.

[Mark Salmon]

As a cyclist and a PE teacher I found this a fascinating read . I also found it a bit sad at times .