With a foreword by Eddy Merckx
The world of professional cycling is fraught with fierce competition, fervent dedication and unerring ambition, and only a handful of competitors reach iconic status. Among them is Sir Bradley Wiggins - a man uniquely placed to reflect on the history of this remarkable sport and its unforgettable titans.
In Icons, Wiggins takes the reader on an extraordinarily intimate journey through the sport, presenting key pieces from his never-before-seen collection of memorabilia. Over the course of his illustrious career, he amassed hundreds of items - often gifts from its greatest and most controversial figures. Each reflects an icon, a race or a moment that fundamentally influenced Wiggins on both a personal and professional level.
By exploring the lives and achievements of 21 of the sport's key figures - among them Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Induráin and Tom Simpson - Wiggins sheds new light on what professional cycling demands of its best competitors. Icons lauds their triumphs, elucidates their demons and sheds light on the philosophy and psychology that comprise the unique mindset of a cycling champion.
For 60 minutes this summer, the British public stopped what they were doing switched on their radios, their TVs, refreshed their Twitter feeds and followed Bradley Wiggins's attempt to break one of sport's most gruelling records: The Hour. The premise is simple enough: how far can you cycle in one hour. But it is thought to be one of the toughest events an athlete can endure, both physically and psychologically. Eddy Merckx, cycling's über-champ, called it the hardest thing he ever did. Wiggins, like many before him, discovered the unique pain of pushing yourself as hard as you can for 60 minutes.In this revealing book, Bradley Wiggins takes you behind the scenes of his record attempt. From planning to preparation, to training to execution, Bradley shares his thoughts on his sacrifices, his heroes, and the people who have supported him along the way as well as what's to come as he heads towards the twilight of his stellar career.My Hour is a fitting celebration of one of Britain's best-loved sportsmen in his finest hour.
George is romantic and great fun but how much does Marie really know about her new partner? After a whirlwind romance and Mediterranean marriage to chirpy cockney George Marie's plans for a cosy Christmas a deux are derailed when he says the band's schedule has changed. Georgeis hurt in the Taunton rail crash when Marie thought he was playing Christmas gigs with his band in Scotland. She drives South to discover a whole lot more about the past of the man she married. Is Marie's new husband George a bigamist? The woman at his hospital bedside says she is married to him too. Who is Marie to believe? He is now conscious and wants to talk to her. On Christmas Day, Marie is unexpectedly pregnant, Laura still insists that she is married to her husband George, and there's another woman sitting at his bedside. Marie discovers that George has a family in London. How can she believe his explanations about Laura? How can she believe in a man who has so many secrets?
On 22 July 2012 Bradley Wiggins became the first British man ever to win the Tour de France. In an instant 'Wiggo' became a national hero. Ten days later, having swapped his yellow jersey for the colours of Team GB, he won Olympic gold in the time trial, adding to his previous six medals to become the nation's most decorated Olympian of all time.
Outspoken, honest, intelligent and fearless, Wiggins has been hailed as the people's champion. In My Time he tells the story of the remarkable journey that led to him winning the world's toughest race. He opens up about his life on and off the bike, about the personal anguish that has driven him on and what it's like behind the scenes at Team Sky: the brutal training regimes, the sacrifices and his views on his teammates and rivals. He talks too about his anger at the spectre of doping that pursues his sport, how he dealt with the rush of taking Olympic gold and above all what it takes to be the greatest.
