PEZ Bookshelf: Cycling Legends 01—Tom Simpson

03/23/2025 03:01 AM

Tom Simpson was one of Britains greatest cyclists, a trailblazer whose ambition and talent propelled him to the top of the sport in the 1960s. From his early days racing in England to becoming the first British winner of the Tour of Flanders and conquering Milan-San Remo, Simpsons career was marked by determination and flair. His life and tragic death on Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France remain one of cyclings most compelling stories. In Cycling Legends 01: Tom Simpson, author Chris SidwellsSimpsons own nephewoffers a deeply personal and meticulously researched biography, blending race analysis with intimate family insights. This book not only captures the highs and lows of Simpsons career but also provides a rare glimpse into the man behind the legend.Earning a living as a professional bicycle racer has never been easy but in today’s world of science-based coaching, enhanced understanding of nutrition, featherweight equipment, aero clothing, and, at the WorldTour level at least, good remuneration history reminds us that it was not always so. Tom Simpson (winner of Milan-San Remo sixty-one years ago) was one of Britain’s greatest riders and while lacking those modern accoutrements he did not lack for talent and certainly not for ambition before his untimely death at the 1967 Tour de France on the bald rock landscape of Mont Ventoux.Tom Simpson is the first volume in a new series of books, Cycling Legends, written by English author Chris Sidwells, who has more than 1,000 articles and 20 books about cycling to...