Winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2017
published by cycling specialist Raph Editions
What the judges said: 'gives fresh insight into the life of trailblazer Tom Simpson, the first Briton to wear the Tour de France's yellow jersey, 50 years after his tragic death'.
In the foreword to the title, Sir Bradley Wiggins said: "As a British cyclist, your identity is massively informed by him, so it goes without saying that he was instrumental in my 2012 Tour de France victory."
Tom Simpson is British cycling's greatest icon. Fifty years after he conquered the continental sporting scene, he still captivates people around the world. After his dramatic death on Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France, amphetamines and alcohol were found in his system, a fact which often dwarfs his pioneering achievements.
The other shortlist titles the Simpson book beat were:-
The Greatest Combeack: From Genocide to Football Glory by David Bolchover (Biteback Publishing)
Ali: A Life by Jonathan Eig (Simon & Schuster)
Quiet Genius: Bob Paisley, British Football's Greatest Manager by Ian Herbert (Bloomsbury Sport, Bloombsury)
Swell: A Waterbiography by Jenny Landreth (Bloomsbury Sport, Bloomsbury)
Centaur by Declan Murphy and Ami Rao (Doubleday, Transworld)
Breaking Ground: Art, Archaelogy and Mythology edited by Neville Gabie, Alan Ward and Jason Wood (Axis Projects)
Last year the prize was won by Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan (Corsair)
From a humble upbringing in a Nottinghamshire mining town, Simpson became the first Briton to win the elite men's World Championships and to wear the Tour de France's yellow jersey. He also took victory at Milan Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders and the Tour of Lombardy, three of cycling's most prestigious races.
| Primary Genre | Sports |
From a humble upbringing in a Nottinghamshire mining town, Simpson became the first Briton to win the elite men's World Championships and to wear the Tour de France's yellow jersey. He also took victory at Milan Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders and the Tour of Lombardy, three of cycling's most prestigious races.
Tom Simpson Bird On The Wire features in the following genres: Sports
Hardback. Not Available.
Tom Simpson Bird On The Wire was written by Andy McGrath and published by Bloomsbury Sport an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
