Andy McGrath's Tom Simpson: Bird on the Wire has won the 2017 William Hill Sports Book of the Year. The lavishly illustrated book was published earlier this year, the 50th anniversary of Simpson's death on Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France.
The lavishly illustrated, 200-page book is published by Rapha Editions and produced by Bluetrain Publishing, with contributions from family and friends of arguably the greatest all-round cyclist Great Britain has produced, aims to tell the full story of his life.
McGrath, editor of Rouleur magazine, was presented with the award at a ceremony at BAFTA in London today.
He said: “Simpson’s death, with drugs found in his system, is inextricably, yet excessively, linked to him. Those dark connotations have grown over the rest of his life’s story like ivy over a beautiful building,”
It's only the fourth book related to cycling to have won the prestigious award, launched in 1989, and the first of those that hasn't had a professional cyclist as author or co-writer.
The three others were Paul Kimmage's Rough Ride in 1990, It's Not About The Bike, co-written by Lance Armstrong and Sally Jenkins, which won in 2000, and Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle's The Secret Race, the winner in 2012.
George Hill gave the book 9 out of 10 in his review for road.cc in September, describing it as an "excellent coffee table book that really manages to bring out Tom Simpson's personality."
> Review: Tom Simpson: Bird On The Wire
Those two things--punishment and a risk reduction measure--aren't mutually exclusive. Putting someone in prison, for example, is clearly both....
Such a lovely paintjob.
Are you perchance referencing the lack of come-uppance in cases like this?...
Either you've not been to a Costa, or you've misunderstood the "hipster" stereotype.
Same here. Along with that friggin road.cc video. I scroll and then think "shit, too far, it's got me now"....
It's about time that "momentary error of judgement" was no longer used as an excuse for bad driving, but as an example to others, illustrating how...
I watched the last hour of the women's race on the BC youtube live feed. Hugely impressive solo ride by 19 year old Alice Towers, holding off...
"Careful lad, don't scratch my paint."
Woman loses bag during flight transfer doesnt have the same ring to it does it? Feel for her but not sure this was worth a Road.cc story.
There is that little button to press on the Lezyne hose to relieve the pressure before unscrewing. Not sure if it actually helps matters or is just...