"‘A tremendously engaging read’ – The Times
A unique memoir from British cycling’s most fascinating competitor
In the summer of 2020, sportswriter David Walsh invited Pippa York began a series of journeys following the Tour de France. A nostalgic voyage through the world’s most competitive bike race – for Walsh it was the chance to get to know the Tour’s most enigmatic riders. For York, it was a chance to revisit the race she had ridden eleven times as Robert Millar.
This book is the result – a unique and captivating sporting odyssey. The Escape blends the details of Pippa and David’s journeys with the iconic landmarks of the Tour de France to explore her early years in working-class Glasgow, her entry into competitive cycling, the psychological demands of the sport, and how they shaped her personality. It recounts her career highs and lows, life after racing, and her transition in her 40s.
Touching on doping, gender in sport, and the everyday magic of the Tour, The Escape is an unforgettable travelogue and a candid, one-of-a-kind memoir from one of cycling’s most enigmatic competitors."
"Rob Kearney is the most decorated Irish rugby player in history, winning two Six Nations Grand Slams and four European titles during a 15-year career at the very top of the sport, which included two tours with the British and Irish Lions.
One of the most respected and revered names in the professional era, Kearney took the art of full-back play to new heights in the No.15 jersey and his longevity, durability and dedication mark him out as a special man – on and off the pitch. Now, in Rob Kearney: No Hiding – My Autobiography he will bring to life the players, the coaches, the matches and the moments that helped define his career. Kearney provides an unflinching, revealing account of life in a Leinster and Ireland shirt, the highs and lows of his profession and wonderfully details the hard work – and the fun – that took place behind the scenes in his decade-long pursuit of glory."
"LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2020
'Reads like a thriller, or even a spy novel...Walsh keeps you gripped' Rosamund Urwin, Sunday Times
'A turbulent but ultimately inspiring tale. The candour...is rare and gripping' Matt Dickinson, The Times
It was the story that shocked the world: Russian athletics was revealed to be corrupt from top to bottom, with institutionalised doping used to help the nation's athletes win medals they did not deserve. But the full story of the couple who blew the whistle has never been told - until now.
When Russian anti-doping official Vitaly Stepanov met the young 800m athlete Yuliya Rusanova, for him it was love at first sight. Within two months, they were married. But there was a problem - in fact, there were lots of problems. She admitted she was doping and that everyone else was doping, and she let him know that she came from a dark place …
It could all have brought a very swift end to a very hasty marriage, but gradually the Stepanovs began to realise that whatever you did, the system in Russia was stacked against you. In the end, the only ones they could rely upon were each other. Fully aware of the risks they were taking, they decided to turn the tables on those who had manipulated them and cheated the sporting world.
The result of their investigative work sent shockwaves around the planet and led to Russia's athletes being banned from world sport, while the Stepanovs themselves had to go into hiding. The Russian Affair is a gripping true-life drama that at times reads like a spy novel and at others like an epic love story. But, at the centre of it all, is a quietly determined couple who knew that if they stood together they could shine a light on a corrupt system and bring it crashing to the ground."
