Description
Book SynopsisThe first detailed account of the Festina affair, which ripped apart the 1998 Tour de France and irrevocably changed cycling. The Tour de France is always one of the sporting calendarâs most spectacular and dramatic events. But the 1998 Tour provided drama like no other. As the opening stages in Ireland unfolded, the Festina teamâs soigneur Willy Voet was arrested on the FrenchâBelgian border with a car-load of drugs. Raid after police raid followed, with arrest after arrest hammering the Tour. In protest, there were ridersâ strikes and go-slows, with several squads withdrawing en masse and one expelled. By the time the Tour reached Paris, just 96 of the 189 starters remained. And of those 189 starters, more than a quarter were later reported to have doped. The 1998 âTour de Farceâsâ status as one of the most scandal-struck sporting events in history was confirmed. Voetâs arrest was just the beginning of sportâs biggest mass doping controversy â what became known as the Festina a
Trade ReviewThis book provides a fascinating insight into how low a professional team will go to achieve their goal * www.cambridge-news.co.uk *
[A] thoroughly researched book * www.cambridge-news.co.uk *
So much more than an account of a single Tour: one of the most thorough explanations of the drug taking culture in cycling * Road.cc *
Table of ContentsPrologue: As Good As It Gets? 1 Unbeatable Jan? 2 ‘And When Did You Last See Your Soigneur?’ 3 Le Tour en Irlande: Red Wine, Guinness – and EPO 4 From Aspirins to Vacuum Cleaners: The Life of a Young 1990s Professional 5 From Vegetable Basket to Victories: Behind the Scenes with Festina 6 The End of the Road 7 The UCI and Anti-Doping: From Cuba to India (via France) 8 The Pyrenees: Two Cheers for Elefantino 9 Ten Minutes to Midnight: Strike One 10 The Communication Breakdown – Media and the 1998 Tour 11 Out Here in the Middle: Frankie Andreu, the White Lady and Handling the 1998 Tour 12 Pantani Turns the Clock Back 13 The Exception to the Rule 14 Nobody Listens to the Weak: The Second Rebellion 15 Early Exits 16 Can I Still Be Second? 17 The Final Lap 18 Aftermath: A Double-Edged Sword: Where are They Now? 1998 Tour de France: Start List The 1998 Tour de France Stage Winners and Final Classification
Bibliography Acknowledgements Index
