David Millar autobiography

Pdoghue

Reading this at the moment. Any thoughts?

Have just got to the bit when he's on a massive bender in Monaco just after being caught by the French police.

What strikes me was the lifestyle he led. His early career up to the doping ban seems to have followed a regular pattern of training, racing and boozing. He seemed to fully commit to all three. Surely the boozing must have affected his performance - he regularly seemed to have come back from the off-season in bad shape due to prolonged bouts of partying. But he wasn't the only one living it up - he mentions O'Grady and others as big party animals. Even Lance now and again.

For such a hard sport, the lifestyle he lived seemed a bit out of control.

Diarmuid

I've read it. I think the boozing is off-season or post-ban. Not like mid TdF or something

smithslist

Pdoghue wrote: »

Reading this at the moment. Any thoughts?

Have just got to the bit when he's on a massive bender in Monaco just after being caught by the French police.

What strikes me was the lifestyle he led. His early career up to the doping ban seems to have followed a regular pattern of training, racing and boozing. He seemed to fully commit to all three. Surely the boozing must have affected his performance - he regularly seemed to have come back from the off-season in bad shape due to prolonged bouts of partying. But he wasn't the only one living it up - he mentions O'Grady and others as big party animals. Even Lance now and again.

For such a hard sport, the lifestyle he lived seemed a bit out of control.

The boozing would be out of season, or near end....I saw him once in a nightclub out of his face after the Road World champs, quite surprising seeing it but then again it wat he enjoys doing while in the off season

cormpat

To be honest I think there's a big party scene in cycling. Look at the amount that have had recreational drug "issues/problems"; Frank VDB (who gets a mention in the Millar book), Ullirch, Boonan, Pantani & Schumacher are just the few I can think of, off the top of my head.

Even more recently, look at Andy Schlek & O'Grady at last years Vuelta going out for a few beers on one of the rest days.

I think because cycling is such a hard sport, you have to be a little bit crazy to succeed at it, & it attracts a certain type of person that is willing to flog themselves on a bike but also got out on a 48 hour bender as well.

paulieb2006

Best book I ever read! Its an Exceptional story.

Hermy

cormpat wrote: »

To be honest I think there's a big party scene in cycling.

Breaking The Chain would suggest this also.

furiousox

Read the Millar book on holidays along with 'Slaying The Badger' and 'Sky's The Limit'

Really enjoyed the Millar book, a real page turner.
Slaying The Badger is also a great read.
Sky's The Limit is ok...just ok imo.

pleader

In the middle of reading it now. Just at the point after his first couple of races as a doper.
Finding it hard to put down.
You'd really have to wonder how many clean riders there actually were at that time. Seems to be that anybody who was having any kind of success was up to something.

Doc Daneeka

Had a search for a thread on this after just reading the book. Great read. Highly recommend for anyone out there interested in cycling.

uberwolf

picked it up for €7 during the week in Hodges & Figgis. figured for that price it was worth a read

De Bhál

I finished it last night.

Best cycling book I've read.
I'll read it again I'd say, and that rarely happens.

He explains very well why he started taking the epo.

In saying it was the best cycling book I've read it was only up against three other books

Rough Ride - Paul Kimmage (I enjoyed this)
Bad Blood - Jeremy Whittle (bit boring I thought)
Inside the Peleton - Nicolas Roche (had read all his Independent updates so nothing new, not a bad read though)

Anyone got a recommendation for another cycling book I can get stuck into?
Thanks

Bunnyhopper

I liked the Millar book. I thought the Laurent Fignon autobiography (We Were Young and Carefree) was a good read, too.

Russman

Really enjoyed the Millar book, for some strange reason I was surprised that I enjoyed it. Maybe the issues Paul Kimmage had with him had me a little biased before reading it.

Also enjoyed Slaying the Badger, Rough Ride and Bad Blood.

Again, for some strange reason I couldn't be ar$ed reading Nicolas Roche's book, don't really know why though.......bland, vanilla, I dunno.

De Bhál

hmmm, slaying the badger sound interesting.

must locate it

manafana

De Bhál wrote: »

hmmm, slaying the badger sound interesting.

must locate it

if your based in dublin could lend us this if you want pm me.

Reading fallen angel the passion of fausto coppi at moment very good read.

Enjoyed slaying the badger and millers book, and the history of the tour de france is one id recommend as intro to cycling gives you all big names to go and pick more detailed reading on. Enjoyed fignons books as well. Didnt like the pantani book as much, but loving the story of coppi.

De Bhál

manafana wrote: »

if your based in dublin could lend us this if you want pm me.

Reading fallen angel the passion of fausto coppi at moment very good read.

Enjoyed slaying the badger and millers book, and the history of the tour de france is one id recommend as intro to cycling gives you all big names to go and pick more detailed reading on. Enjoyed fignons books as well. Didnt like the pantani book as much, but loving the story of coppi.

Thanks, I'll pm you now.

seve65

I too thought it a very readable book. Liked the way he took great pleasure in his tdf ride into barcelona where he eventually got taken out by the peloton.

In search of the real robert millar is an interesting book too.

TheNah

seve65 wrote: »

I too thought it a very readable book. Liked the way he took great pleasure in his tdf ride into barcelona where he eventually got taken out by the peloton.

In search of the real robert millar is an interesting book too.

yep, read this also - all in a pretty good cycling book. It is written primarily by Millar with some help on the editing, so not the best written book ever, but it makes up in authenticity. You would warm to the guy, i thought the stuff about Wiggans was very good - questions a lot of his post 08 tour antics, and generally makes him out to be not so much the team player. his tussles with Mr. Kimmage also strike a familiar note!

OMARS_COMING_

Fantastic book,i literally didnt want it to end.


Im a big reader and not often a book comes along that blows me away,but this did.

I think he was honest,and fair in telling his story.

Strongly recommended.