Cycling is My Life

by Tommy Simpson

Iconic sportsman Tom Simpson was the first Briton to pull on the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France. His engaging autobiography, Cycling is My Life, first published in 1966, was written the year before he died tragically during the 1967 Tour at age twenty-nine.

Genres: Cycling

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2009

Reviews

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bitter sweet read knowing that the author died the year afterwards and was subsequently found to be on drugs. One wonders what he may have achieved if his life wasn't tragically cut short. Of course we don't really know how much of the success was chemically enhanced or indeed how many of the other riders were doing the same. Descriptions of the race tactics etc... are fascinating though. Glad I read.

[Glynn Ferron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I followed Tom's career as a 14 year old witnessed the ups and downs I was just started to race the book is a great motivation tool well written with a good degree of honesty

[Simon Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

As cycling books go this is not among the greats. As cyclists go Tom Simpson is easily one of the greats.

I was interested in Tom's story largely because I knew so little about his career before his world championship win and his untimely death on Mont Ventoux in 1967.

This book sheds a little light on his early years and his powerful desire to ride and to win. It's pretty sanitised but does paint an interesting picture of cycling in the fifties and sixties and, more specifically, how isolated the UK was with regard to the way the sport was run.

I can't really recommend this as a must-read title – there are so many more gripping biographies available – but it does have a certain first-person charm and Tom does his best to present himself warts and all.

The poignancy, for me, like another reviewer mentions, is on the final page where he says: 'common sense tells you that there is always another day tomorrow for you to have another go'. Tragically for Tom there wasn't.

[Jenny Hemming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable & easy to read. If it's meant as a vanity piece it's not very successful as it doesn't hide less attractive aspects of the man - no driven, ambitious person is going to be totally nice to be around, all the time. I found it to be unpretentious & of it's time - & poignant at the end. Now looking forward to reading accounts by others.

[Martin Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost impossible to resist the temptation to read it with the dubious benefit of hindsight, but it remains a testimony to how remarkable a rider and man Simpson was in order to become the first British rider to really make it on the Continent, against all the odds. It is very telling that his feats weren't surpassed until more than 40 years after his untimely demise.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit twee

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

for hard core Tommy Simpson fans only. Not very well written, and mostly a vanity piece that gives little insight into the life of this great rider.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike a few of the reviews I enjoyed reading this book which was started with Tom Simpson before his tragic death, and details the difficulties experienced when turning pro during the 1960's.

[Simon Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read - though the last page is heartbreaking as Simpson talks of his plans for the future.

[Paul Tisserant · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read

[Gort · Rating 1 out of 5]

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