Bleve
May 25th 06, 08:07 AM
I got two copies of this book, as I was giving on to my guest speaker
at my coaching dinner this week, and wanted a copy myself. I'm glad I
did.
Allan Peiper's a former professional bike racer who rode a lot in
Belgium (did the doss on the floor of some hellhole in Ghent thing as a
lad, living on bin scrapings etc) who made it good, then took a long
time out, and is now a DS for LottoDomo, working with Robbie McEwen,
Henk Vogels etc. he grew up in country Victoria before skipping the
country to race in Europe in the late 80's
The book is his (maybe ghostwritten?) autobiography. I've read a few
of these now, mainly the Lance ones, but a couple of others (including
Voet's "breaking the chain", fascinating book, moreso for his attitude
than the actual crimes) as well, and this is a standout. I only took
time out of reading it to race ( blah, hills ... ITT .. :( ) at
Trentham, and sleep. Suffice to say by mid Sunday I'd read it. It's a
"how I got there" sort of story, and Peiper manages to avoid coming
across as whinging about his childhood, which was pretty tough by the
sound of it, and also about how he managed to bumble through the early
parts of his racing career. He talks a bit about doping and how the
culture of cycling is changing about it, and how it was always there
when he was racing. He took some on a couple of occasions and is quite
frank about it.
All in all, I reckon this is a terrific book, very good reading, very
interesting story and I imagine once I've finished lending it out, I'll
probably read it again!
at my coaching dinner this week, and wanted a copy myself. I'm glad I
did.
Allan Peiper's a former professional bike racer who rode a lot in
Belgium (did the doss on the floor of some hellhole in Ghent thing as a
lad, living on bin scrapings etc) who made it good, then took a long
time out, and is now a DS for LottoDomo, working with Robbie McEwen,
Henk Vogels etc. he grew up in country Victoria before skipping the
country to race in Europe in the late 80's
The book is his (maybe ghostwritten?) autobiography. I've read a few
of these now, mainly the Lance ones, but a couple of others (including
Voet's "breaking the chain", fascinating book, moreso for his attitude
than the actual crimes) as well, and this is a standout. I only took
time out of reading it to race ( blah, hills ... ITT .. :( ) at
Trentham, and sleep. Suffice to say by mid Sunday I'd read it. It's a
"how I got there" sort of story, and Peiper manages to avoid coming
across as whinging about his childhood, which was pretty tough by the
sound of it, and also about how he managed to bumble through the early
parts of his racing career. He talks a bit about doping and how the
culture of cycling is changing about it, and how it was always there
when he was racing. He took some on a couple of occasions and is quite
frank about it.
All in all, I reckon this is a terrific book, very good reading, very
interesting story and I imagine once I've finished lending it out, I'll
probably read it again!