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The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Nonfiction (2012)The Secret Race is a definitive look at the world of professional cycling—and the doping issue surrounding this sport and its most iconic rider, Lance Armstrong—by former Olympic gold medalist Tyler Hamilton and New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle.
Over the course of two years, Coyle conducted more than two hundred hours of interviews with Hamilton and spoke candidly with numerous teammates, rivals, and friends. The result is an explosive book that takes us, for the first time, deep inside a shadowy, fascinating, and surreal world of unscrupulous doctors, anything-goes team directors, and athletes so relentlessly driven to succeed that they would do anything—and take any risk, physical, mental, or moral—to gain the edge they need to win.
Tyler Hamilton was once one of the world’s best-liked and top-ranked cyclists—a fierce competitor renowned among his peers for his uncanny endurance and epic tolerance for pain. In the 2003 Tour de France, he finished fourth despite breaking his collarbone in the early stages—and grinding eleven of his teeth down to the nerves along the way. He started his career with the U.S. Postal Service team in the 1990s and quickly rose to become Lance Armstrong’s most trusted lieutenant, and a member of his inner circle. For the first three of Armstrong’s record seven Tour de France victories, Hamilton was by Armstrong’s side, clearing his way. But just weeks after Hamilton reached his own personal pinnacle—winning the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics—his career came to a sudden, ignominious end: He was found guilty of doping and exiled from the sport.
From the exhilaration of his early, naïve days in the peloton, Hamilton chronicles his ascent to the uppermost reaches of this unforgiving sport. In the mid-1990s, the advent of a powerful new blood-boosting drug called EPO reshaped the world of cycling, and a relentless, win-at-any-cost ethos took root. Its psychological toll would drive many of the sport’s top performers to substance abuse, depression, even suicide. For the first time ever, Hamilton recounts his own battle with clinical depression, speaks frankly about the agonizing choices that go along with the decision to compete at a world-class level, and tells the story of his complicated relationship with Lance Armstrong.
A journey into the heart of a never-before-seen world, The Secret Race is a riveting, courageous act of witness from a man who is as determined to reveal the hard truth about his sport as he once was to win the Tour de France.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2012
604 people are currently reading
8550 people want to read
About the author
Tyler Hamilton
5 books27 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Tyler Hamilton is a former American professional road bicycle racer. He was a promising skier until a back injury put an end to this in 1991. He then became a cyclist, and went professional in 1995 with the US Postal Service cycling team. His carreer ended in april 2009, after a positive doping test.
Tyler Hamilton is a former American professional road bicycle racer. He was a promising skier until a back injury put an end to this in 1991. He then became a cyclist, and went professional in 1995 with the US Postal Service cycling team. His carreer ended in april 2009, after a positive doping test.
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January 2, 2013
I knew I would have to read this book after I saw this article (http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-...) on Outside Magazine. I bought it the day it came out and have spent every spare moment reading it since.
A little background: my dad is a huge cycling fan. He even raced in some small races when he was younger. He taught my sister and I to ride bikes when we were young and it turned into a family hobby—long bike rides to all sorts of places. There was no city too big or any ride too long. We each had our own special mountain bikes…Treks for everyone! They let us buy helmets and gloves that matched our bikes too. Green for me, gray for my sister.
We started watching the Tour de France as a family when I was still very young, but it didn’t start to really interest me until I was in high school. It became a big summer event for us. When we vacationed in Nova Scotia and stayed in a cabin on the lake that didn’t have cable, my grandma recorded each stage for us and we jerry-rigged a VCR (!) up to a small TV and huddled around to watch. Of course, we were watching to see if Lance Armstrong could win again. And then next summer, we’d ask: Can he do it yet again? We discussed his rivals in detail—their pros and cons. I knew all the best phrases that Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett (the Tour de France commentators) used when they got excited. “He’s riding like a man possessed!”
Turns out, they were sort of right, but in a way that maybe no one imagined…or more likely, that no one wanted to admit.
When I was in high school, each summer my dad and I would go on “training rides” in the rural hills around our home in Virginia with the intent of us doing a fast century (100 mile) two-day ride someday. We’d ride in the early morning before the bugs got bad and the humidity became too oppressive. I’d drag myself out of bed, put on something spandex, strap on my clip-in shoes and grab a banana to stick in my jersey pocket. We’d draft off each other on the flats and suffer through the long uphill climbs that never seemed quite so bad when we were driving in the car. At the end of each ride, my dad would compare our statistics to the day before. Did we go faster? What was our average MPH? How many miles did we get in today? Sometimes my sister would go with us too, but she generally favored sleep over a 10 mile ride at 7 am. She was the smart one.
I remember we’d watch the Tour after we got home from our bike rides and I’d marvel at how the riders could attack, or accelerate ahead of the group, on some of the largest mountains in France. I’d wonder how they could increase their speed over and over again going uphill. It seemed superhuman.
One day my dad and I were out riding and were going up a modest climb, but it was near the end of our ride and I could feel the lactic acid building up. I had been drafting behind him up the hill, but all of a sudden I realized I had more. I passed him and flew up the hill, hardly feeling the incline. All I saw was the pavement flying by under my wheels. When my dad caught up to me, he started laughing. “No fair, you’re 17 and I’m 42.”
That experience gave me a tiny taste of the complete rush that cycling can give you. I was in pain, but didn’t mind it. I didn’t feel anything once I started accelerating. I just knew that I could go.
Tyler Hamilton’s book begins with him explaining that he has a knack for managing pain. He thrives on it. When things start getting really painful, that’s where he shines. He can push through. He likes pushing through. Cycling was a perfect sport for him.
Unfortunately, despite his obvious natural talent, his best barely registered on a sliding scale of doping and performance enhancement that had taken over the sport. He began doping after he realized that he had no chance of a viable career if he didn’t. Everyone else was doing it too. Doping leveled the playing field if everyone was involved, right? Not quite.
To really dumb down the science, everyone has a natural level of hematocrit (or amount of red blood cells) in their blood. EPO, the widely-used drug that enhances red blood cell production (and the one that most cyclist mean when they say they were doping), assisted in bringing up a cyclist’s hematocrit level as high as possible without passing 50—the level that the sport’s governing body deemed the maximum allowable. So, if you had a “regular” hematocrit level of 42, you could use more EPO than someone with a natural level of 47—increasing the effectiveness of the drug on your performance.
I can’t emphasize to you how well the book is written. Hamilton, with the assistance of Daniel Coyle, tells an incredibly compelling story in a way that’s so earnest and so forthright that you can’t help but believe every single word that’s written. Compare this account to Lance Armstrong’s public statements regarding the doping allegations and there’s no mistaking Hamilton’s honesty counts for a lot more than Armstrong’s sometimes abrasive denials.
Reading this book cast the many summers I spent watching cycling in a totally different light. Events I watched live on television that had seemed like supreme athletic achievements were described very differently by Hamilton. When cyclists described each other as doing something superhuman, they really meant “doped up.” His descriptions of Armstrong’s secretive, scientific and wholly integrated doping program that spread throughout the US Postal Team seemed like something out of a spy novel. Secret cell phones, code names and messages, an EPO messenger on a motorcycle meeting the team at predetermined spots. If it weren’t so believable and if Hamilton weren’t so brutally honest, it would almost seem too ridiculous to be true.
And, maybe that’s why it went unpunished for so long. The idea that an entire sport could be dominated by superior athletes who could transform themselves into demi-gods was too good and too lucrative to pass up. A one-man breakaway over a hundred miles? Too ridiculous to be true, but damn, that’s good television. A man winning the most demanding sports contest year after year after year post-cancer? Too ridiculous to be true, but look how much money he can make us.
In light of Armstrong’s decision not to contest USADA’s doping charges against him and the subsequent stripping of his titles, this book provides a powerful answer to the question many (including myself) have asked: Why would Lance Armstrong—a man near possessed by the desire to win—simply give up?
He gave up because he’s guilty. It was better for him to ride off in a cloud of maybes and probablys than lose definitively the only thing cycling fans have left of him: the amazing memories of watching him win.
A little background: my dad is a huge cycling fan. He even raced in some small races when he was younger. He taught my sister and I to ride bikes when we were young and it turned into a family hobby—long bike rides to all sorts of places. There was no city too big or any ride too long. We each had our own special mountain bikes…Treks for everyone! They let us buy helmets and gloves that matched our bikes too. Green for me, gray for my sister.
We started watching the Tour de France as a family when I was still very young, but it didn’t start to really interest me until I was in high school. It became a big summer event for us. When we vacationed in Nova Scotia and stayed in a cabin on the lake that didn’t have cable, my grandma recorded each stage for us and we jerry-rigged a VCR (!) up to a small TV and huddled around to watch. Of course, we were watching to see if Lance Armstrong could win again. And then next summer, we’d ask: Can he do it yet again? We discussed his rivals in detail—their pros and cons. I knew all the best phrases that Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett (the Tour de France commentators) used when they got excited. “He’s riding like a man possessed!”
Turns out, they were sort of right, but in a way that maybe no one imagined…or more likely, that no one wanted to admit.
When I was in high school, each summer my dad and I would go on “training rides” in the rural hills around our home in Virginia with the intent of us doing a fast century (100 mile) two-day ride someday. We’d ride in the early morning before the bugs got bad and the humidity became too oppressive. I’d drag myself out of bed, put on something spandex, strap on my clip-in shoes and grab a banana to stick in my jersey pocket. We’d draft off each other on the flats and suffer through the long uphill climbs that never seemed quite so bad when we were driving in the car. At the end of each ride, my dad would compare our statistics to the day before. Did we go faster? What was our average MPH? How many miles did we get in today? Sometimes my sister would go with us too, but she generally favored sleep over a 10 mile ride at 7 am. She was the smart one.
I remember we’d watch the Tour after we got home from our bike rides and I’d marvel at how the riders could attack, or accelerate ahead of the group, on some of the largest mountains in France. I’d wonder how they could increase their speed over and over again going uphill. It seemed superhuman.
One day my dad and I were out riding and were going up a modest climb, but it was near the end of our ride and I could feel the lactic acid building up. I had been drafting behind him up the hill, but all of a sudden I realized I had more. I passed him and flew up the hill, hardly feeling the incline. All I saw was the pavement flying by under my wheels. When my dad caught up to me, he started laughing. “No fair, you’re 17 and I’m 42.”
That experience gave me a tiny taste of the complete rush that cycling can give you. I was in pain, but didn’t mind it. I didn’t feel anything once I started accelerating. I just knew that I could go.
Tyler Hamilton’s book begins with him explaining that he has a knack for managing pain. He thrives on it. When things start getting really painful, that’s where he shines. He can push through. He likes pushing through. Cycling was a perfect sport for him.
Unfortunately, despite his obvious natural talent, his best barely registered on a sliding scale of doping and performance enhancement that had taken over the sport. He began doping after he realized that he had no chance of a viable career if he didn’t. Everyone else was doing it too. Doping leveled the playing field if everyone was involved, right? Not quite.
To really dumb down the science, everyone has a natural level of hematocrit (or amount of red blood cells) in their blood. EPO, the widely-used drug that enhances red blood cell production (and the one that most cyclist mean when they say they were doping), assisted in bringing up a cyclist’s hematocrit level as high as possible without passing 50—the level that the sport’s governing body deemed the maximum allowable. So, if you had a “regular” hematocrit level of 42, you could use more EPO than someone with a natural level of 47—increasing the effectiveness of the drug on your performance.
I can’t emphasize to you how well the book is written. Hamilton, with the assistance of Daniel Coyle, tells an incredibly compelling story in a way that’s so earnest and so forthright that you can’t help but believe every single word that’s written. Compare this account to Lance Armstrong’s public statements regarding the doping allegations and there’s no mistaking Hamilton’s honesty counts for a lot more than Armstrong’s sometimes abrasive denials.
Reading this book cast the many summers I spent watching cycling in a totally different light. Events I watched live on television that had seemed like supreme athletic achievements were described very differently by Hamilton. When cyclists described each other as doing something superhuman, they really meant “doped up.” His descriptions of Armstrong’s secretive, scientific and wholly integrated doping program that spread throughout the US Postal Team seemed like something out of a spy novel. Secret cell phones, code names and messages, an EPO messenger on a motorcycle meeting the team at predetermined spots. If it weren’t so believable and if Hamilton weren’t so brutally honest, it would almost seem too ridiculous to be true.
And, maybe that’s why it went unpunished for so long. The idea that an entire sport could be dominated by superior athletes who could transform themselves into demi-gods was too good and too lucrative to pass up. A one-man breakaway over a hundred miles? Too ridiculous to be true, but damn, that’s good television. A man winning the most demanding sports contest year after year after year post-cancer? Too ridiculous to be true, but look how much money he can make us.
In light of Armstrong’s decision not to contest USADA’s doping charges against him and the subsequent stripping of his titles, this book provides a powerful answer to the question many (including myself) have asked: Why would Lance Armstrong—a man near possessed by the desire to win—simply give up?
He gave up because he’s guilty. It was better for him to ride off in a cloud of maybes and probablys than lose definitively the only thing cycling fans have left of him: the amazing memories of watching him win.
September 22, 2012
As an avid cyclist who has followed the sport for the past quarter century, I was saddened and moved, but not shocked, by this book. The recent histories of Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton and that of doping in cycling have been well covered in the mass media. Still, this book tells a captivating story of one man's struggle with conflicting and riddling motivations and explores all facets - light and dark - of human ambition.
The writing style is fast and highly accessible. I read the book in one go, and was totally engrossed by it. Perhaps it was an easy read for me because i was already very familiar with the arcane names and technical cycling terminology. But i'd like to think that the very compelling human story was presented well enough to captivate anybody looking to read a tragic story of personal bravery and morality.
When I first read several years ago that Tyler Hamilton had been busted for dope, I was deeply saddened. He had seemed like such a likeable fellow. I think that he has now redeemed himself well by writing this book. As for Lance Armstrong, well, the book did not change my feelings of ambivalence about him, either for better or worse. Clearly, he is a man who has performed deeds that are historically heroic. However, it's sad that such a lifetime of achievement is shrouded in a personality that is so darkened by arrogance, hubris and disdain for others. In short, even heroes can be world-class dickheads.
The writing style is fast and highly accessible. I read the book in one go, and was totally engrossed by it. Perhaps it was an easy read for me because i was already very familiar with the arcane names and technical cycling terminology. But i'd like to think that the very compelling human story was presented well enough to captivate anybody looking to read a tragic story of personal bravery and morality.
When I first read several years ago that Tyler Hamilton had been busted for dope, I was deeply saddened. He had seemed like such a likeable fellow. I think that he has now redeemed himself well by writing this book. As for Lance Armstrong, well, the book did not change my feelings of ambivalence about him, either for better or worse. Clearly, he is a man who has performed deeds that are historically heroic. However, it's sad that such a lifetime of achievement is shrouded in a personality that is so darkened by arrogance, hubris and disdain for others. In short, even heroes can be world-class dickheads.
March 10, 2015
This book really does explain how (and how much) doping went on at the time Lance Armstrong was taking the cycling world by storm in winning the Tour de France seven times. It's told in a pretty matter if fact way by one of his team and shows, very clearly, the difficult choices facing top professional cyclists at this time: take the drugs or you won't be picked for the teams. It also makes it clear that, as the cyclists reacted differently to the products and some gained more than others due to certain 'natural state' measures, the fact that virtually all top cyclists were using EPO and other substances did not render it a level playing field.
The most fascinating aspects for me were the accounts of how the drugs were administered - in the midst of some pretty basic and flawed testing processes - and the understanding of how this 'secret' was kept under wraps for so long. It also did drive home just how false the results were during this period. A really interesting tale particularly if, like me, you're addicted to the annual July event that draws in more watchers than any other sporting event in the world!
The most fascinating aspects for me were the accounts of how the drugs were administered - in the midst of some pretty basic and flawed testing processes - and the understanding of how this 'secret' was kept under wraps for so long. It also did drive home just how false the results were during this period. A really interesting tale particularly if, like me, you're addicted to the annual July event that draws in more watchers than any other sporting event in the world!
April 16, 2018
It will be hard for me to read. I have been anti Armstrong since 2000 and knew he doped but nobody believed me but a few cycling friends. On the other hand it will be much better to read about him now that the whole world knows what he is like..........
Hard because I will probably read how he got way with so much for all those years. Never understood the admiration. His bullying ways were so obvious plus he and his team mates all of a sudden became so good.
When he won the tour in 1999 I was happy for him, but in 2000 he showed what a despicable man he was in the way he treated others, and yes I started to dislike him, which turned to disgust.
OMG. Just finished reading this book. I loved it. The world I thought I knew so much about (Yes I knew about doping and expected Lance and his whole tam to have a trick where they could dope and not be found out) turned out to be even worse!
And yes I also wondered if lance would test positively, if the Tour de France would want the world to know. Not just them but also the UCI, because Lance brought lot of viewers of America which means money)
It was shocking how right I was.
I remember all those years that when I said something negatively about Armstrong, his fans who were always telling me. He has been tested 500 times and never tested positive. (which was a lie)
The thing is, I started to dislike the guy not because of suspicion of doping but because i could what a nasty guy he was already in 2000.
But because he was a hero according to many they let him bully them.
All those journalists that licked his ball. Now they are all apologizing for not doing their work. meaning be neutral!
(Respect for Paul Kimmage who went after Armstrong and the UCI and was bullied but is now counter suing the UCI!)
Back to the book. Great story although I did feel that Tyler was still making excuses about him doping. Everybody did it. No that was not true.
But the story he is telling is really important so kudos to him, and I respect Floyd Landis for finally being honest for a change. One of few that stood against Armstrong.
Hard because I will probably read how he got way with so much for all those years. Never understood the admiration. His bullying ways were so obvious plus he and his team mates all of a sudden became so good.
When he won the tour in 1999 I was happy for him, but in 2000 he showed what a despicable man he was in the way he treated others, and yes I started to dislike him, which turned to disgust.
OMG. Just finished reading this book. I loved it. The world I thought I knew so much about (Yes I knew about doping and expected Lance and his whole tam to have a trick where they could dope and not be found out) turned out to be even worse!
And yes I also wondered if lance would test positively, if the Tour de France would want the world to know. Not just them but also the UCI, because Lance brought lot of viewers of America which means money)
It was shocking how right I was.
I remember all those years that when I said something negatively about Armstrong, his fans who were always telling me. He has been tested 500 times and never tested positive. (which was a lie)
The thing is, I started to dislike the guy not because of suspicion of doping but because i could what a nasty guy he was already in 2000.
But because he was a hero according to many they let him bully them.
All those journalists that licked his ball. Now they are all apologizing for not doing their work. meaning be neutral!
(Respect for Paul Kimmage who went after Armstrong and the UCI and was bullied but is now counter suing the UCI!)
Back to the book. Great story although I did feel that Tyler was still making excuses about him doping. Everybody did it. No that was not true.
But the story he is telling is really important so kudos to him, and I respect Floyd Landis for finally being honest for a change. One of few that stood against Armstrong.
September 3, 2019
So glad I ... finally ... got around to reading this (and, frankly, it's inexcusable that I hadn't read it previously). Yes, yes, my favorite bad weather cycling jacket is now a collector's item - a Tyler Hamilton Foundation eye-catcher (that never ceases to attract commentary ... some good, some not so nice ... out on the bike trails)..... OK, OK, ... I had this on my to read shelf for many years, but every time I went to buy it ... I just couldn't.... [Full disclosure: a while back, I removed it from my to read shelf, because I'd convinced myself I'd never read it...] For many years, I was a denier ... then, frankly, I think I didn't want to know.... then there were the years when it all made me so sad I didn't want to think about it ... Then, slowly, ... I started reading about pro cycling again ... and then, recently, having read the newish Greg LeMond bio/tribute, The Comeback, published in 2018, well ... I kind of felt like I'd run out of excuses... But it was still well worth reading - - no, in reading this, I wasn't expecting a wealth of new material, but ... even stuff you're familiar with tastes differently in intense, large, concentrated, direct consumption.... In that regard, it's a (brave? courageous?) tale well told.
Fortunately, this is a very good book ... direct, clear, linear, easy to follow, easy to read, ... and surprisingly compelling.... Yes, it sounds like Tyler Hamilton's voice, but it was a good move teaming with Daniel Coyne (and, yes, it was interesting reading this to the extent I'd read his Lance Armstrong's War a number of years ago).
To my mind, the strength of the book derives from its (apparent) honesty, which makes the telling a public baring of Hamilton's soul, and, one hopes, a significant catharsis. It's painful ... but it's easy to sympathize/empathize ... and one of the best sub-themes of the books revolves around the simple question: what would you have done in my shoes? Nicely done ... or ... chapeau!
One strange thing, reading the book today, is that the ending feels (temporally) abrupt ... or premature.... Of course, we (today's readers) know more about what came later, but all stories have to end somewhere. One wonders if newer (or subsequent) editions will contain some kind of aftermath or epilogue for folks who have followed the litigation, the players, and the sport....
A (very) good book. I should have read it when it first came out.
Fortunately, this is a very good book ... direct, clear, linear, easy to follow, easy to read, ... and surprisingly compelling.... Yes, it sounds like Tyler Hamilton's voice, but it was a good move teaming with Daniel Coyne (and, yes, it was interesting reading this to the extent I'd read his Lance Armstrong's War a number of years ago).
To my mind, the strength of the book derives from its (apparent) honesty, which makes the telling a public baring of Hamilton's soul, and, one hopes, a significant catharsis. It's painful ... but it's easy to sympathize/empathize ... and one of the best sub-themes of the books revolves around the simple question: what would you have done in my shoes? Nicely done ... or ... chapeau!
One strange thing, reading the book today, is that the ending feels (temporally) abrupt ... or premature.... Of course, we (today's readers) know more about what came later, but all stories have to end somewhere. One wonders if newer (or subsequent) editions will contain some kind of aftermath or epilogue for folks who have followed the litigation, the players, and the sport....
A (very) good book. I should have read it when it first came out.
August 27, 2023
The Secret Race is Tyler Hamilton's thrilling account of elite professional cycling in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This memoir is filled with eye opening revelations of the training, dieting, personal sacrifices, and doping that were required to truly compete in that era. It is also full of stories about the sport's most famous--and infamous - - recent character, Lance Armstrong. I cannot imagine anyone with even a slight interest in pro cycling not enjoying this well written and exciting chronicle.
September 30, 2012
Surprisingly well-written!
Tyler's voice doesn't come across as whiny or self-pitying. Instead you get a gripping, clear-eyed view into The Decision, The Descent, and The Consequences. I remember watching these TdF mountain top finishes almost a decade ago, and it's fascinating to read about what was actually going on. The actual doping is the least of the story; the cloak-and-dagger machinery to pull it off is a page-turning thriller.
That all the top guys doped isn't much of a story anymore, though it's interesting to read about how Armstrong did it more systematically and better than anyone else. And his surprisingly vindictive pursuit of Lemond, Hamilton etc. would make for a great movie.
Tyler's voice doesn't come across as whiny or self-pitying. Instead you get a gripping, clear-eyed view into The Decision, The Descent, and The Consequences. I remember watching these TdF mountain top finishes almost a decade ago, and it's fascinating to read about what was actually going on. The actual doping is the least of the story; the cloak-and-dagger machinery to pull it off is a page-turning thriller.
That all the top guys doped isn't much of a story anymore, though it's interesting to read about how Armstrong did it more systematically and better than anyone else. And his surprisingly vindictive pursuit of Lemond, Hamilton etc. would make for a great movie.
October 5, 2012
I'm an amateur cyclist, but follow international pro racing with great interest. Of course, the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs is a hot topic, and the author, Tyler Hamilton was one of the good guys with huge talent and heart I remember watching on TV for years.
I must be naive, because I thought it was all talent (it wasn't) and he was a hero of sorts to me. Then, like Icarus flying too close to the sun, he fell into the sea, and this is his tell all.
It's not your typical sports memoir; it's really more of a tragedy, and that's why the book should appeal to readers who aren't necessarily cycling fans.
I used to be a Lance Armstrong fan too. No more. I don't care how much money he raised for cancer awareness. I stopped following him on twitter.
I must be naive, because I thought it was all talent (it wasn't) and he was a hero of sorts to me. Then, like Icarus flying too close to the sun, he fell into the sea, and this is his tell all.
It's not your typical sports memoir; it's really more of a tragedy, and that's why the book should appeal to readers who aren't necessarily cycling fans.
I used to be a Lance Armstrong fan too. No more. I don't care how much money he raised for cancer awareness. I stopped following him on twitter.
July 17, 2025
“People think doping is for lazy people who want to avoid hard work. That might be true in some cases, but in mine, as with many riders I knew, it was precisely the opposite. EPO granted the ability to suffer more; to push yourself farther and harder than you'd ever imagined, in both training and racing.”
― Daniel Coyle, The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
This is a sort of unauthorized Bio on Lance Armstrong. I must admit to being fascinated with this subject. And I found the book to really interesting in a rather unpleasant way.
While I enjoyed reading it, it did sure paint Armstrong out to be an unmitigated jerk which he very well may be. I've no idea. But what really stunned me in this book, was how NORMAL the doping is. It also made me realize I know nothing about the world of sports.
I have always known alot of doping goes in in fields like modeling and in Hollywood. Sports, particularly this sport, always struck me as the opposite. I am not a major fan or anything so I never asked myself how these guys were able to do what they did. This was for sure an eye opener.
It isn't a very long read and I'd say the writing is pretty good and seemingly authentic although honestly how in the world would I know? When this scandal broke, I remember I just could not believe that Armstrong, a cancer survivor would be this stupid, as to put this garbage in his body. The book sure opened my eyes and yes I would recommend it.
― Daniel Coyle, The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
This is a sort of unauthorized Bio on Lance Armstrong. I must admit to being fascinated with this subject. And I found the book to really interesting in a rather unpleasant way.
While I enjoyed reading it, it did sure paint Armstrong out to be an unmitigated jerk which he very well may be. I've no idea. But what really stunned me in this book, was how NORMAL the doping is. It also made me realize I know nothing about the world of sports.
I have always known alot of doping goes in in fields like modeling and in Hollywood. Sports, particularly this sport, always struck me as the opposite. I am not a major fan or anything so I never asked myself how these guys were able to do what they did. This was for sure an eye opener.
It isn't a very long read and I'd say the writing is pretty good and seemingly authentic although honestly how in the world would I know? When this scandal broke, I remember I just could not believe that Armstrong, a cancer survivor would be this stupid, as to put this garbage in his body. The book sure opened my eyes and yes I would recommend it.
March 10, 2015
The important 'human' lesson:
"The Truth Sets You Free"!
My husband loved this book....(I love him)...I loved reading this book 'with' him.....(sharing and talking about it)
"The Truth Sets You Free"!
My husband loved this book....(I love him)...I loved reading this book 'with' him.....(sharing and talking about it)
September 8, 2012
First I feel like I have to make full disclosure; Before yellow wristbands, before Tour de France victories, before cancer, before the 1993 World Cycling Championships, even before the 1992 Olympics, I did not care for Lance Edward Armstrong. When I bought this book, I did not believe that I would be swayed either way.
Secondly, I used to be a huge Tyler Hamilton fan. I remember first reading about him when he won the NCAA cycling championships in 1993 and there was always something likable perhaps even honest about him. After he failed the tests in 2004 I was not devastated but greatly disappointed. Since reading this book, I have come back to being a fan because he has chosen to speak out when many others have not and I find that admirable.
I find the book well written. Even with the co-author you get the sense that you are hearing Tyler tell the story. There are parts of it that are not perfectly linear as though it is a collection of recollections. At one point while discussing the 1996 season he mentions seeing Bjarne Riis in 1997 and my first thought was, "He is a place where the critics will say his memory is foggy" thus discrediting the whole book. As I read on I realized that in describing what was going on in Europe with drugs that his recollection of Riis was so precise that he used an incident from 1997 to describe what he learned in '96.
Although Mr. Armstrong does not come out well in the book, this is not a greedy attempt to, "Get Lance" as some people will say. In the times when he does point a finger at Armstrong he makes it very clear that Hamilton is pointing three at himself. He fully acknowledges that participating in this world was his choice because he opted to be professional (a term meaning do what it takes i.e. use performance enhancing drugs) In this way it makes it clear that during Hamilton's career that making it to the top of the sport meant the choice to use drugs.
The story itself is very compelling and interesting even if you do not know much about professional cycling. It tells the story of what it is like to make it in the sport. Hamilton talks candidly about the sacrifices others, such as other riders and support personnel have to make in order to win a grand tour. If you know something about cycling you will feel like you have been there among the brotherhood on a top level team. This is probably the only book Tyler Hamilton will write and I am glad that I read it.
Secondly, I used to be a huge Tyler Hamilton fan. I remember first reading about him when he won the NCAA cycling championships in 1993 and there was always something likable perhaps even honest about him. After he failed the tests in 2004 I was not devastated but greatly disappointed. Since reading this book, I have come back to being a fan because he has chosen to speak out when many others have not and I find that admirable.
I find the book well written. Even with the co-author you get the sense that you are hearing Tyler tell the story. There are parts of it that are not perfectly linear as though it is a collection of recollections. At one point while discussing the 1996 season he mentions seeing Bjarne Riis in 1997 and my first thought was, "He is a place where the critics will say his memory is foggy" thus discrediting the whole book. As I read on I realized that in describing what was going on in Europe with drugs that his recollection of Riis was so precise that he used an incident from 1997 to describe what he learned in '96.
Although Mr. Armstrong does not come out well in the book, this is not a greedy attempt to, "Get Lance" as some people will say. In the times when he does point a finger at Armstrong he makes it very clear that Hamilton is pointing three at himself. He fully acknowledges that participating in this world was his choice because he opted to be professional (a term meaning do what it takes i.e. use performance enhancing drugs) In this way it makes it clear that during Hamilton's career that making it to the top of the sport meant the choice to use drugs.
The story itself is very compelling and interesting even if you do not know much about professional cycling. It tells the story of what it is like to make it in the sport. Hamilton talks candidly about the sacrifices others, such as other riders and support personnel have to make in order to win a grand tour. If you know something about cycling you will feel like you have been there among the brotherhood on a top level team. This is probably the only book Tyler Hamilton will write and I am glad that I read it.
September 13, 2024
Never riding paniagua again
September 15, 2012
After I closed the book (after reading it in one sitting), my final thought was: even if half of it is a complete fabrication, I don't see how any open minded person could come away thinking that Lance hadn't doped. But the really unsatisfying thing to think about is---now what? Every top ten finisher during those years was doped as well. Did that make it a level playing field? Some research indicates that different riders have different results from the same drug, so even that answer is unsatisfying. How does the UCI, even if it were so inclined, find the "wronged" cyclist who truly deserves the jersey?
If there is a silver lining for those years, it is that those Tours got more Americans interested in cycling, and that interest created opportunities for younger racers who thankfully are racing in a much more drug-intolerant time. As for Lance, he may be a narcissist at heart, but he's given hope to a lot of people at times in their lives when they really needed it.
My respect for Tyler (who wrote great articles for VeloNews during those years) has grown; it took courage for him to lay it all on the table. My respect for Lance has fallen, as again, even if half of what I read about his interpersonal skills is true, he doesn't sound like the Cincinnatus of cycling his early PR portrayed him to be.
Perhaps by getting it all out there, cycling can more forward with a clean start. If that happens, the uncomfortable subjects addressed in the book will have been worth it.
If there is a silver lining for those years, it is that those Tours got more Americans interested in cycling, and that interest created opportunities for younger racers who thankfully are racing in a much more drug-intolerant time. As for Lance, he may be a narcissist at heart, but he's given hope to a lot of people at times in their lives when they really needed it.
My respect for Tyler (who wrote great articles for VeloNews during those years) has grown; it took courage for him to lay it all on the table. My respect for Lance has fallen, as again, even if half of what I read about his interpersonal skills is true, he doesn't sound like the Cincinnatus of cycling his early PR portrayed him to be.
Perhaps by getting it all out there, cycling can more forward with a clean start. If that happens, the uncomfortable subjects addressed in the book will have been worth it.
January 23, 2013
As a high level amateur and collegiate racer for the last decade, I have followed closely the roller-coaster ride of Lance Armstrong, Postal, and all the rest of it. I was determined not to view Tyler H. as a sympathetic figure going into this book, but the candor and vulnerability he and Coyle show the reader are hard to resist. He does a tremendous job of building up to that now famous question, "what would you do?" As someone who dreamed about doing what he did, my answer is "I don't know."
If you are interested in professional cycling this is a must read. It answers so many questions like, how Lance could be so much better than everyone else? How can whole teams dominate major races? How can big guys win mountain stages? How can non-dopers beat known dopers? (Spoiler Alert: they can't). Furthermore, the book goes into excruciating detail about how the drugs work, and how "I never failed a drug test" was meaningless. Everyone knew, particularly after Coyle's first book Lance Armstrongs War, that Lance was kind of a jerk. If you are a kool-aid drinking member of the cult of Lance, you will hate this book. It shows him in all his hyper-type-A asshole glory, and I buy all of it.
Overall, I have to admit I can really relate to Tyler. I have known a lot of Tylers during my time in cycling, shy, super-competitive people, who just like to ride their bikes. I don't think he wanted any of this, but when it was thrust upon him I think he did alright. After all, what would you do?
If you are interested in professional cycling this is a must read. It answers so many questions like, how Lance could be so much better than everyone else? How can whole teams dominate major races? How can big guys win mountain stages? How can non-dopers beat known dopers? (Spoiler Alert: they can't). Furthermore, the book goes into excruciating detail about how the drugs work, and how "I never failed a drug test" was meaningless. Everyone knew, particularly after Coyle's first book Lance Armstrongs War, that Lance was kind of a jerk. If you are a kool-aid drinking member of the cult of Lance, you will hate this book. It shows him in all his hyper-type-A asshole glory, and I buy all of it.
Overall, I have to admit I can really relate to Tyler. I have known a lot of Tylers during my time in cycling, shy, super-competitive people, who just like to ride their bikes. I don't think he wanted any of this, but when it was thrust upon him I think he did alright. After all, what would you do?
September 18, 2012
The Secret Race didn't tell me much I didn't already know about bike racing's dark side but it did fill in some details. You got a good teaser when Hamilton appeared on 60 Minutes, but take the time to read this book for more of the story.
Anyone who thinks that Lance Armstrong rode clean needs to read this book though to me it is less about Armstrong and more about the culture of the pro peloton overall. But if you read this book and *still* think Armstrong was clean, well, he was the only one who was and I've got a bridge to sell you....
What Hamilton and Coyle do well where the subject of Armstrong is concerned is to draw a full picture of the rider. People who don't follow the sport see smiling public Lance, fiercely-determined Lance on the bike. Anyone who follows the sport knows about the outbursts and the infamous "look" but The Secret Race creates a deeper profile, told by someone who lived in close proximity to Armstrong and even roomed with him.
The other thing the book does well is explain the complicity of the UCI, especially to those who may not be aware of this dark, dirty secret. "Lance Armstrong" didn't happen in a vacuum and The Secret Race is one of the best explanations I've seen so far of what happened at the Tour of Switzerland and why little seems to change at the sport's highest level. Lots and lots of money was being made by lots and lots of people off the success of their golden boy. (Hamilton included.)
The things I learned:
John Vande Velde (Christian's dad) played one of the Italian racers in Breaking Away. (Who knew?!)
A lot pro bike racers are pricks.
The thing I still don't understand:
How did Motoman get access to ride through the peloton? Was he working for the team in some official capacity beyond his unofficial capacity? I can't just hop on a motorcycle and cruise through the peloton handing people things. No one can. It's not that I don't believe this piece of the story, it's just the *how* that doesn't make sense.
I do believe The Secret Race is more fact than fiction and while it may be fueled by anger, it is also fueled by a desire to finally tell the whole truth (at least as Hamilton saw it)--about Lance, the UCI, and the sport as a whole. I don't think Hamilton is the good guy here--he benefited a lot, financially and otherwise, until he didn't. I'm glad he feels better for having come clean (so to speak.) The culture of lies and deceit in bike racing is so deep and widespread, I honestly don't believe any of them fully--even Hamilton--about anything anymore. Except maybe Jens.
Anyone who thinks that Lance Armstrong rode clean needs to read this book though to me it is less about Armstrong and more about the culture of the pro peloton overall. But if you read this book and *still* think Armstrong was clean, well, he was the only one who was and I've got a bridge to sell you....
What Hamilton and Coyle do well where the subject of Armstrong is concerned is to draw a full picture of the rider. People who don't follow the sport see smiling public Lance, fiercely-determined Lance on the bike. Anyone who follows the sport knows about the outbursts and the infamous "look" but The Secret Race creates a deeper profile, told by someone who lived in close proximity to Armstrong and even roomed with him.
The other thing the book does well is explain the complicity of the UCI, especially to those who may not be aware of this dark, dirty secret. "Lance Armstrong" didn't happen in a vacuum and The Secret Race is one of the best explanations I've seen so far of what happened at the Tour of Switzerland and why little seems to change at the sport's highest level. Lots and lots of money was being made by lots and lots of people off the success of their golden boy. (Hamilton included.)
The things I learned:
John Vande Velde (Christian's dad) played one of the Italian racers in Breaking Away. (Who knew?!)
A lot pro bike racers are pricks.
The thing I still don't understand:
How did Motoman get access to ride through the peloton? Was he working for the team in some official capacity beyond his unofficial capacity? I can't just hop on a motorcycle and cruise through the peloton handing people things. No one can. It's not that I don't believe this piece of the story, it's just the *how* that doesn't make sense.
I do believe The Secret Race is more fact than fiction and while it may be fueled by anger, it is also fueled by a desire to finally tell the whole truth (at least as Hamilton saw it)--about Lance, the UCI, and the sport as a whole. I don't think Hamilton is the good guy here--he benefited a lot, financially and otherwise, until he didn't. I'm glad he feels better for having come clean (so to speak.) The culture of lies and deceit in bike racing is so deep and widespread, I honestly don't believe any of them fully--even Hamilton--about anything anymore. Except maybe Jens.
August 19, 2020
Można czytać hagiograficzne, autoryzowane biografie gwiazd sportu, w których autor głaszcze swojego bohatera po główce, jednocześnie bardzo uważając aby nie strącić znad niej aureoli, ale, umówmy się, nie znajdziecie w nich nic ciekawego i ani grama prawdy. O ile ciekawiej jest jednak sięgnąć po książkę, która kopie czytelnika z całej siły prosto w jaja, pokazując cały syf i hipokryzję zawodowego sportu na najwyższym poziomie, książkę, która chwyta czytelnika za głowę i wkłada ją do szamba nazwanego kolarstwem szosowym i Tour de France, bo taki jest "Wyścig tajemnic" - historia Tylera Hamiltona ...
Na początek słów parę o treści i formie. Książka jest napisana bardzo dobrze, czyta się ją lekko, a jej konstrukcja sprawia, że z każdą kolejną stroną czytelnik mocniej angażuje się w opowieść Hamiltona (narracja jest pierwszoosobowa), kolarz opowiada nam o swoim życiu, o tym jak stawał się coraz lepszy, jak dołączył do czołówki i z czym się to wiązało, jak doszedł na szczyt i jak bolesny był jego upadek na dno...
EPO, testosteron, kortyzon, przetaczanie krwi, hormon wzrostu, ruskie anabole, "lekarze sportowi" od nakłuwania żył, nieudolne testy antydopingowe, protekcja - całe to ćpuńskie Eldorado lat dwutysięcznych. Tyler Hamilton pisze o wszystkim, co gdzie kiedy, dlaczego wtedy nie żałował a teraz żałuje i dlaczego Lance Armstrong jest największym kutasem w naszej galaktyce. Nawet trudne terminy medyczne, związane z dopingiem, wyjaśnione są w sposób prosty i klarowny, także podczas czytania nie ma potrzeby żeby zaglądać do encyklopedii. Hamilton ma co opowiadać, jednak współautor książki, Daniel Coyle, jest niewątpliwie utalentowanym pisarzem.
Ale czy można Hamiltonowi ufać? na pewno nie stara się siebie wybielić. Usprawiedliwić, może, ale nie wybielić. Bierze wszystko na klatę i spowiada się przed czytelnikiem, z hipokryzji swojej i kolarskiego świata, ze wstydu jaki odczuwał i kłamstw jakie opowiadał aby nie zostać zdyskwalifikowanym. I tu znów wielkie ukłony dla Daniela Coyla, bo pokazał nam sportowców jako ludzi, dla których branie dopingu wiązało się z zawodowym być albo nie być - o tym jak sport zawodowy, wymagający sponsorzy i federacje rodzą patologie.
Zatem: "A co ty byś zrobił"?
Nie wiem, ale raczej kupię dziecku hulajnogę.
Na początek słów parę o treści i formie. Książka jest napisana bardzo dobrze, czyta się ją lekko, a jej konstrukcja sprawia, że z każdą kolejną stroną czytelnik mocniej angażuje się w opowieść Hamiltona (narracja jest pierwszoosobowa), kolarz opowiada nam o swoim życiu, o tym jak stawał się coraz lepszy, jak dołączył do czołówki i z czym się to wiązało, jak doszedł na szczyt i jak bolesny był jego upadek na dno...
EPO, testosteron, kortyzon, przetaczanie krwi, hormon wzrostu, ruskie anabole, "lekarze sportowi" od nakłuwania żył, nieudolne testy antydopingowe, protekcja - całe to ćpuńskie Eldorado lat dwutysięcznych. Tyler Hamilton pisze o wszystkim, co gdzie kiedy, dlaczego wtedy nie żałował a teraz żałuje i dlaczego Lance Armstrong jest największym kutasem w naszej galaktyce. Nawet trudne terminy medyczne, związane z dopingiem, wyjaśnione są w sposób prosty i klarowny, także podczas czytania nie ma potrzeby żeby zaglądać do encyklopedii. Hamilton ma co opowiadać, jednak współautor książki, Daniel Coyle, jest niewątpliwie utalentowanym pisarzem.
Ale czy można Hamiltonowi ufać? na pewno nie stara się siebie wybielić. Usprawiedliwić, może, ale nie wybielić. Bierze wszystko na klatę i spowiada się przed czytelnikiem, z hipokryzji swojej i kolarskiego świata, ze wstydu jaki odczuwał i kłamstw jakie opowiadał aby nie zostać zdyskwalifikowanym. I tu znów wielkie ukłony dla Daniela Coyla, bo pokazał nam sportowców jako ludzi, dla których branie dopingu wiązało się z zawodowym być albo nie być - o tym jak sport zawodowy, wymagający sponsorzy i federacje rodzą patologie.
Zatem: "A co ty byś zrobił"?
Nie wiem, ale raczej kupię dziecku hulajnogę.
October 14, 2012
this book is crazy. i read it in about 24 hours and couldn't put it down. from the beginning it just takes you on a truth train ride. there isn't a lot of meandering around - it's just beginning to end THE story of what really happens in racing. (of course i always assume there is embellishing and exaggerating in memoirs.)
intresting how, really, you have no choice but to dope if you expect your body to edure something like the tour de france. even more so, it's the accepted culure of the sport.
from the few things i've read about lance armstrong, i realize he is a huge jerk and majorly selfish and cocky. but i've also somewhat respected that ego knowing that's what it takes to be the athlete that he is.
after reading this account and other accounts of those close to him, i realize he is a bit of a crazy sociopath. the major red flag being how he picks up and drops off "friends" so easily with no remorse or regret. he's a complete power freak - likened unto henry viii.
anyway, i am a bit of a blow hard here because it's not like i am a huge cycling fan - more like a casual observer - but it's amazing what goes on in the world of cycling. i always knew it wasnt a clean sport, but this has made me leary of the purity in all sports. just one more thing in pop culture for me to furrow my truth brow at.
intresting how, really, you have no choice but to dope if you expect your body to edure something like the tour de france. even more so, it's the accepted culure of the sport.
from the few things i've read about lance armstrong, i realize he is a huge jerk and majorly selfish and cocky. but i've also somewhat respected that ego knowing that's what it takes to be the athlete that he is.
after reading this account and other accounts of those close to him, i realize he is a bit of a crazy sociopath. the major red flag being how he picks up and drops off "friends" so easily with no remorse or regret. he's a complete power freak - likened unto henry viii.
anyway, i am a bit of a blow hard here because it's not like i am a huge cycling fan - more like a casual observer - but it's amazing what goes on in the world of cycling. i always knew it wasnt a clean sport, but this has made me leary of the purity in all sports. just one more thing in pop culture for me to furrow my truth brow at.
December 29, 2012
I felt compelled to get through this because I had paid for it, and as a recreational cyclist and cycling fan I was interested in the revelations it contains. The details were satisfyingly pornographic. However, the book hasn't any literary merit. The narrative style is very much your standard sports autobiography. Quite often the story is tediously self-serving. I could have done without any of the details on Tyler's early life as 1. They were boring and 2. I didn't really believe him. There are two recurring motifs throughout: 'those famously honest Hamiltons' and 'no job too tough or small'. Every repetition slightly paled me.
I started out sympathetic with Tyler, but I eventually lost patience with him. Despite admittedly being a doper, he still at the point of writing felt he had been hard done by when he failed a doping test (and he had been doping) because he claimed that he hasn't done the exact thing the testers claimed (although it seemed likely that he had done it accidentally as a direct result of intentional doping). Years on from this event, he is clearly still bitter.
I would only recommend this to fans of cycling - particularly amateurs looking for doping tips. Even then, I imagine the USADA report on Lance Armstrong is probably a better read.
I started out sympathetic with Tyler, but I eventually lost patience with him. Despite admittedly being a doper, he still at the point of writing felt he had been hard done by when he failed a doping test (and he had been doping) because he claimed that he hasn't done the exact thing the testers claimed (although it seemed likely that he had done it accidentally as a direct result of intentional doping). Years on from this event, he is clearly still bitter.
I would only recommend this to fans of cycling - particularly amateurs looking for doping tips. Even then, I imagine the USADA report on Lance Armstrong is probably a better read.
September 9, 2012
Wow. I knew Lance was a bully, but I had no idea how much he worked the system. I suspected it but now some of the details are emerging. As a cycling fan, I'm happy to see the truth come out. It's got to help the sport. I hope.
The Secret Race is written in Hamilton's voice with Coyle filling in the details in footnotes. I've read a lot about cycling and doping but this was a new experience. Hamilton's descriptions of procedures, pain, races, and fellow cyclists painted very clear pictures in my head. I could see the faces and expressions of the riders he described, including Lance's famous Look.
This is a must read for cycling fans. Let's hope our young cyclists don't have to make the same type of decisions that Hamilton and his peers did.
If you have disdain for cycling because you think it's riddled with cheaters, you should read this to understand why cyclists felt they had no choice.
If you think Lance is getting a bad deal from the USADA and the press, you should read this to understand why he had it coming.
The Secret Race is written in Hamilton's voice with Coyle filling in the details in footnotes. I've read a lot about cycling and doping but this was a new experience. Hamilton's descriptions of procedures, pain, races, and fellow cyclists painted very clear pictures in my head. I could see the faces and expressions of the riders he described, including Lance's famous Look.
This is a must read for cycling fans. Let's hope our young cyclists don't have to make the same type of decisions that Hamilton and his peers did.
If you have disdain for cycling because you think it's riddled with cheaters, you should read this to understand why cyclists felt they had no choice.
If you think Lance is getting a bad deal from the USADA and the press, you should read this to understand why he had it coming.
October 30, 2013
NOTE: Review contains multiple quotes which may contain spoilers.
One word. PHENOMENAL
Tyler Hamilton was a successful professional biker and one-time friend and teammate of Lance Armstrong, who like Lance eventually got "popped" for his doping. His captivating story, told with the help of Daniel Coyle, not only sheds light on the doping problem in cycling (with a spotlight on Lance) but also fosters empathy for the athletes (even Lance) who ultimately had to decide whether to lose/quit or give themselves a shot (literally) and join the "brotherhood".
So what exactly does doping involve? A lot of things, including the uses of testosterone and cortisone, synthetic blood, blood transfusions and the use of EPO, often referred to by its code name Edgar, as well as other things.
The two most effective ways to enhance biking performance are blood transfusions and EPO. Both increase the number of RBCs in the blood and thereby increase the bodies oxygen delivering capability. For years there was no test to detect EPO, and so as long as you maintained a hematocrit below 50, you were safe.
Blood transfusions are especially hard to detect since you are essentially injecting your own blood back into your body.
The difficulty in proving a biker was doping had to have made it that much more of a temptation.
I have to admit, even knowing these guys cheated, even knowing that when they got caught they lied, even knowing they often became indignant and attacked their accusers unjustly, I still couldn't help but feel some level of compassion for the lot. It almost seems as if they didn't have a choice. It was either take the drugs like all the other contenders or forfeit their dreams.
According to Hamilton, drugs like EPO and blood transfusions delay fatigue and decline more than they spark performance. Thus, a clean rider could still be competitive during short races, but once the race exceeded a week, those not doping were at a huge disadvantage.
Ironically, when Tyler was finally "caught", he was accused of doing something he hadn't done, and he spent upwards of a million dollars to clear his name, but lost.
At the time this book was completed, his ex-teammate Lance Armstrong, who is discussed at length in Tyler's story, was in the midst of a civil trial and was still adamantly denying the doping charges, while spending a fortune to prove his innocence. Of course, we all know how that turned out.
One has to wonder what the future of professional biking will look like in the aftermath of the scandal. Tyler for one is hopeful, encouraged by signs that the sport is finally getting clean as evidenced by recent winning times, which are substantially lower than they were at the height of the doping era.
Would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Tour, and or the pressures facing elite athletes. This is a well written, face-paced book, with lots of substance.
One word. PHENOMENAL
Tyler Hamilton was a successful professional biker and one-time friend and teammate of Lance Armstrong, who like Lance eventually got "popped" for his doping. His captivating story, told with the help of Daniel Coyle, not only sheds light on the doping problem in cycling (with a spotlight on Lance) but also fosters empathy for the athletes (even Lance) who ultimately had to decide whether to lose/quit or give themselves a shot (literally) and join the "brotherhood".
After the race, I felt a new level of frustration as I watched the white bags get handed out.
Here's an interesting number: one thousand days. It's roughly the number of days between the day I became professional and the day I doped for the first time.
So what exactly does doping involve? A lot of things, including the uses of testosterone and cortisone, synthetic blood, blood transfusions and the use of EPO, often referred to by its code name Edgar, as well as other things.
What does being on EPO feel like? It feels great, mostly because it doesn't feel like anything at all.
The two most effective ways to enhance biking performance are blood transfusions and EPO. Both increase the number of RBCs in the blood and thereby increase the bodies oxygen delivering capability. For years there was no test to detect EPO, and so as long as you maintained a hematocrit below 50, you were safe.
Blood transfusions are especially hard to detect since you are essentially injecting your own blood back into your body.
The difficulty in proving a biker was doping had to have made it that much more of a temptation.
During my career, journalists often used the term "arms race" to describe the relationship between the drug testers and the athletes, but that wasn't quite right, because it implied that the testers had a chance of winning.
I got to where I could estimate my hematocrit level by the color of my blood.
I have to admit, even knowing these guys cheated, even knowing that when they got caught they lied, even knowing they often became indignant and attacked their accusers unjustly, I still couldn't help but feel some level of compassion for the lot. It almost seems as if they didn't have a choice. It was either take the drugs like all the other contenders or forfeit their dreams.
To win the Tour, you needed only three qualities.
Was it possible to win a professional bike race clean during this era? Could a clean rider compete with riders on Edgar?
The answer is, it depends.
According to Hamilton, drugs like EPO and blood transfusions delay fatigue and decline more than they spark performance. Thus, a clean rider could still be competitive during short races, but once the race exceeded a week, those not doping were at a huge disadvantage.
This was the moment, the fork in the road. Everyone who gets popped experiences it:
Ironically, when Tyler was finally "caught", he was accused of doing something he hadn't done, and he spent upwards of a million dollars to clear his name, but lost.
At the time this book was completed, his ex-teammate Lance Armstrong, who is discussed at length in Tyler's story, was in the midst of a civil trial and was still adamantly denying the doping charges, while spending a fortune to prove his innocence. Of course, we all know how that turned out.
One has to wonder what the future of professional biking will look like in the aftermath of the scandal. Tyler for one is hopeful, encouraged by signs that the sport is finally getting clean as evidenced by recent winning times, which are substantially lower than they were at the height of the doping era.
The winning time up Alpe d'Huez in the 2011 Tour was 41:21; back in 2001, a rider would have finished 40th.
Would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Tour, and or the pressures facing elite athletes. This is a well written, face-paced book, with lots of substance.
Read
July 25, 2024Interesting insight into the world of professional cycling in the 1990s/2000s. I sometimes found this hard to read because of how Lance Armstrong is said to have behaved and how he went unchecked for so long. I found Tyler Hamilton to be a much more sympathetic person but it’s interesting to think how that could be different if I had read a different memoir from someone else’s perspective.
September 17, 2023
Loved it! Absolutely mad story and fascinating to hear it from someone that was actually involved in the doping scandals.
January 21, 2018
Neskutočný príbeh, fantasticky napísaný.
September 3, 2024
Great advertisement for EPO.
November 22, 2012
(3.5) Detailed account of Tyler and Lance doping shenanigans, but depressing in that it seems he'd do it again
Recently read Racing Through the Dark, which left me with far more optimism for the sport, but this was almost depressing. Tyler is very open about when and how he doped and covered it up, how pervasive it was in the sport and on the USPS team in particular. It was eye-opening and I'm glad I read it. It shows just how possible it was to beat the doping controls back then (not much has changed presumably lately).
Daniel Coyle obviously took on this project not because it was Tyler's story, but because he was going to dump some serious dirt on Lance and the Postal doping days. He essentially admits as much in the "how this book came about" preface. He said he wasn't interested in working with Tyler (he was too boring), but when Tyler admitted doping (and indicated he'd tell all about Lance), Coyle must've been salivating to incriminate Lance. I can understand that, but it's such a cynical move. I'm really not one to enjoy other people's pain, fall from grace, public humiliation and exposure as liars, hypocrites, cheats. I do like justice, but I feel disappointed in humanity, not happy to see cheaters punished publicly.
The bigger problem I have is that I don't think Tyler would've done it differently if he had the opportunity to live his life again. Feels like he'd dope again. He didn't learn anything. He offers no hope to future cyclists to succeed without doping. He seems to be in the "it levels the playing field" camp, even though he discusses the fact that EPO is most effective at slowing the decline in performance over a multi-week stage race...that a spring classic or even short stage race is probably winnable paniagua (a phrase I borrow from Tyler that I kind of enjoy: pan y agua, Spanish for "bread and water" meaning undoped performance). I contrast this with David Millar's book (mentioned above), in which David is more convincing on the same point, and it seems he wouldn't dope if he lived his life again, that he actively encourages cyclists to live and race clean because you can still succeed that way...AND live with yourself.
Recently read Racing Through the Dark, which left me with far more optimism for the sport, but this was almost depressing. Tyler is very open about when and how he doped and covered it up, how pervasive it was in the sport and on the USPS team in particular. It was eye-opening and I'm glad I read it. It shows just how possible it was to beat the doping controls back then (not much has changed presumably lately).
Daniel Coyle obviously took on this project not because it was Tyler's story, but because he was going to dump some serious dirt on Lance and the Postal doping days. He essentially admits as much in the "how this book came about" preface. He said he wasn't interested in working with Tyler (he was too boring), but when Tyler admitted doping (and indicated he'd tell all about Lance), Coyle must've been salivating to incriminate Lance. I can understand that, but it's such a cynical move. I'm really not one to enjoy other people's pain, fall from grace, public humiliation and exposure as liars, hypocrites, cheats. I do like justice, but I feel disappointed in humanity, not happy to see cheaters punished publicly.
The bigger problem I have is that I don't think Tyler would've done it differently if he had the opportunity to live his life again. Feels like he'd dope again. He didn't learn anything. He offers no hope to future cyclists to succeed without doping. He seems to be in the "it levels the playing field" camp, even though he discusses the fact that EPO is most effective at slowing the decline in performance over a multi-week stage race...that a spring classic or even short stage race is probably winnable paniagua (a phrase I borrow from Tyler that I kind of enjoy: pan y agua, Spanish for "bread and water" meaning undoped performance). I contrast this with David Millar's book (mentioned above), in which David is more convincing on the same point, and it seems he wouldn't dope if he lived his life again, that he actively encourages cyclists to live and race clean because you can still succeed that way...AND live with yourself.
March 13, 2016
A very good and enlightening book. Very compelling and quick read. I learned a lot about the physiology of cycling and how EPO works. Hamilton's story is convincing. It was always apparent to me that Armstrong doped but what wasn't clear was how entrenched this was in the professional cycling culture. If you wanted to win, you and some members of your team must dope. It's that simple. I also didn't know about the level of bullying and intimidation from Armstrong. Hamilton doesn't spend much time discussing this as it pertains to him directly (I get the impression he was trying to avoid the label of whiner or victim. Can't sell books that way); however the few examples were quite telling. This is not to say that this book doesn't go into great detail about Armstrong's tactics, my comment about victimization was specific to Hamilton (which is to say that Hamilton's recounting of events is somewhat strategic). Cycling seems to have somewhat cleaned up it's act as is evidenced by the slower times in the Tour; but even now, it is doubtful that it is completely clean. In fact the times in the Tour are getting faster again quite rapidly. The chemists and biologists are getting better (IMO). As Lance would put it, [many of the performances are] "just not normal". A point of view I didn't strongly subscribe to until reading this book.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
June 13, 2016
What a gripping page-turner, this was by far the best biography I read about a sportsman, knowing it was written by an athlete himself (with the help of a co-writer) makes it extra special. Most of the facts are common knowledge by now, but seeing the world of cycling and doping unfold from the point of view of an insider was gripping and fascinating.
One point I liked was that Tyler Hamilton never points fingers or makes others responsible for his actions. He isn't defending his actions but tries to explain what led to them.
I rarely read a non-fiction book that was such a gripping recount of the rise and fall of some of the most famous cyclists in the late 90s, early 00s. I read thrillers that were lame compared to this!
It gives a great insight into cycling and doping, but also the dynamics behind the riders. Strings being pulled, blackmail, the way doping gets totally normal in that world. He doesn't dwell too much on his childhood but gets to the interesting bits pretty quickly which I apreciated as well.
This also might be something for readers shying away from non-fiction as it is so vivid and gripping.
One point I liked was that Tyler Hamilton never points fingers or makes others responsible for his actions. He isn't defending his actions but tries to explain what led to them.
I rarely read a non-fiction book that was such a gripping recount of the rise and fall of some of the most famous cyclists in the late 90s, early 00s. I read thrillers that were lame compared to this!
It gives a great insight into cycling and doping, but also the dynamics behind the riders. Strings being pulled, blackmail, the way doping gets totally normal in that world. He doesn't dwell too much on his childhood but gets to the interesting bits pretty quickly which I apreciated as well.
This also might be something for readers shying away from non-fiction as it is so vivid and gripping.
April 8, 2021
"Após ser dispensado, Steffen protestou por meio de uma carta enviada ao agente da equipe Postal, Mark Gorski. Um trecho da carta: 'O que um médico espanhol, completamente desconhecido por todos, pode oferecer que eu não possa? Doping é a única resposta obvia.'"
"O exame para EPO é um bom exemplo para mostrar o tamanho de nossa vantagem em ter Ferrari conosco. As autoridades antidoping levaram vários anos e gastaram milhões de dólares para desenvolver um exame que detectasse EPO na urina ou no sangue. Levou cerca de cinco minutos para Ferrari descobrir como burlá-lo".
"Ele perguntou: 'Vocês sabem como um ciclista põe açúcar em seu café?'
Balançamos nossas cabeças. Roberto pegou um pacotinho de açúcar e deu uns tapinhas com o dedo, como se fosse uma seringa. Todo mundo caiu na gargalhada"
"O exame para EPO é um bom exemplo para mostrar o tamanho de nossa vantagem em ter Ferrari conosco. As autoridades antidoping levaram vários anos e gastaram milhões de dólares para desenvolver um exame que detectasse EPO na urina ou no sangue. Levou cerca de cinco minutos para Ferrari descobrir como burlá-lo".
"Ele perguntou: 'Vocês sabem como um ciclista põe açúcar em seu café?'
Balançamos nossas cabeças. Roberto pegou um pacotinho de açúcar e deu uns tapinhas com o dedo, como se fosse uma seringa. Todo mundo caiu na gargalhada"
December 30, 2023
Final book of the year
Wow!! Although this wasn’t a topic I’d put much thought into, I found this story so incredibly interesting. It captured every detail so well I felt like I was experiencing this journey myself - such a roller coaster of emotions. Makes me excited to watch the tour this year!!!
Wow!! Although this wasn’t a topic I’d put much thought into, I found this story so incredibly interesting. It captured every detail so well I felt like I was experiencing this journey myself - such a roller coaster of emotions. Makes me excited to watch the tour this year!!!
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