Tour de France: The Inside Story
Making the World's Greatest Bicycle Race
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Tour de France: The Inside Story
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Oscar Sparrow
-
By:
-
Les Woodland
About this listen
The Tour de France is the greatest bike race in the world, but it began as a humble promotional gimmick for a floundering newspaper. More than 100 years later, the Tour still captivates the world and is broadcast to over 180 countries.
How did a few men looking for some way to save their struggling business become masters of a giant, successful enterprise? Les Woodland tells the inside story of the Tour de France through the prism of the men who started it, and those who now run it. As he explores the creation and evolution of the Tour, he never runs out of those fascinating illustrative tales that make his books impossible to put down. This work was originally published in a slightly altered form in 2009 as Tourmen: The Men Who Made the Tour de France. It has been updated to reflect the events that have happened since the original publication.
©2014 Les Woodland (P)2014 Les WoodlandListeners also enjoyed...
-
Chased by Pandas
- My Life in the Mysterious World of Cycling
- By: Dan Martin
- Narrated by: Matthew Biddulph
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
Known, thanks to his racing style and attitude, for being one of road cycling's last romantics, Dan has always shied away from revealing too much about himself and his story. Now, having retired at the end of the 2021 season aged 35 and no longer bound by the constraints of the racing circuit, Dan feels the time is right to tell his story in the same forthright and honest manner that he rode his bike. This audiobook reflects Dan's generous and outspoken spirit, his resilience to pain, crashes, bad luck and, finally, his acceptance of destiny.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Pandas
- By Soren on 11-13-24
By: Dan Martin
-
One Summer
- America, 1927
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,585
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,048
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,030
One of the most admired nonfiction writers of our time retells the story of one truly fabulous year in the life of his native country - a fascinating and gripping narrative featuring such outsized American heroes as Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, and yes Herbert Hoover, and a gallery of criminals (Al Capone), eccentrics (Shipwreck Kelly), and close-mouthed politicians (Calvin Coolidge). It was the year Americans attempted and accomplished outsized things and came of age in a big, brawling manner. What a country. What a summer. And what a writer to bring it all so vividly alive.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Why 1927?
- By Mark on 10-18-13
By: Bill Bryson
-
Age of Ambition
- Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China
- By: Evan Osnos
- Narrated by: Evan Osnos, George Backman
- Length: 16 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,483
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,277
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,272
As the Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker, Evan Osnos was on the ground in China for years, witness to profound political, economic, and cultural upheaval. In Age of Ambition, he describes the greatest collision taking place in that country: the clash between the rise of the individual and the Communist Party’s struggle to retain control.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Come back when you have a warrant!
- By Neuron on 11-06-15
By: Evan Osnos
-
Go Like Hell
- Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans
- By: A. J. Baime
- Narrated by: Jones Allen
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,480
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,325
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,325
By the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company, built to bring automobile transportation to the masses, was falling behind. Baby boomers were taking to the roads in droves, looking for speed not safety, style not comfort, and Ford didn’t offer what these young drivers wanted. Meanwhile, Enzo Ferrari lorded over the European racing scene, crafting beautiful, fast sports cars that epitomized style.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Goldern age of racing
- By Dan R. on 01-26-15
By: A. J. Baime
-
Dreamers and Deceivers
- True and Untold Stories of the Heroes and Villains Who Made America
- By: Glenn Beck
- Narrated by: Jeremy Lowell
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 896
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 797
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 800
The new nonfiction from number-one best-selling author and popular radio and television host Glenn Beck.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Astounding History stories gather life
- By Gil on 11-13-14
By: Glenn Beck
-
The Secret Race
- Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
- By: Tyler Hamilton, Daniel Coyle
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,648
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,449
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,450
Here 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 needed to win. 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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Gripping and fascinating
- By Alan on 09-09-12
By: Tyler Hamilton, and others
-
Chased by Pandas
- My Life in the Mysterious World of Cycling
- By: Dan Martin
- Narrated by: Matthew Biddulph
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
Known, thanks to his racing style and attitude, for being one of road cycling's last romantics, Dan has always shied away from revealing too much about himself and his story. Now, having retired at the end of the 2021 season aged 35 and no longer bound by the constraints of the racing circuit, Dan feels the time is right to tell his story in the same forthright and honest manner that he rode his bike. This audiobook reflects Dan's generous and outspoken spirit, his resilience to pain, crashes, bad luck and, finally, his acceptance of destiny.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Pandas
- By Soren on 11-13-24
By: Dan Martin
-
One Summer
- America, 1927
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,585
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,048
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,030
One of the most admired nonfiction writers of our time retells the story of one truly fabulous year in the life of his native country - a fascinating and gripping narrative featuring such outsized American heroes as Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, and yes Herbert Hoover, and a gallery of criminals (Al Capone), eccentrics (Shipwreck Kelly), and close-mouthed politicians (Calvin Coolidge). It was the year Americans attempted and accomplished outsized things and came of age in a big, brawling manner. What a country. What a summer. And what a writer to bring it all so vividly alive.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Why 1927?
- By Mark on 10-18-13
By: Bill Bryson
-
Age of Ambition
- Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China
- By: Evan Osnos
- Narrated by: Evan Osnos, George Backman
- Length: 16 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,483
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,277
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,272
As the Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker, Evan Osnos was on the ground in China for years, witness to profound political, economic, and cultural upheaval. In Age of Ambition, he describes the greatest collision taking place in that country: the clash between the rise of the individual and the Communist Party’s struggle to retain control.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Come back when you have a warrant!
- By Neuron on 11-06-15
By: Evan Osnos
-
Go Like Hell
- Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans
- By: A. J. Baime
- Narrated by: Jones Allen
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,480
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,325
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,325
By the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company, built to bring automobile transportation to the masses, was falling behind. Baby boomers were taking to the roads in droves, looking for speed not safety, style not comfort, and Ford didn’t offer what these young drivers wanted. Meanwhile, Enzo Ferrari lorded over the European racing scene, crafting beautiful, fast sports cars that epitomized style.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Goldern age of racing
- By Dan R. on 01-26-15
By: A. J. Baime
-
Dreamers and Deceivers
- True and Untold Stories of the Heroes and Villains Who Made America
- By: Glenn Beck
- Narrated by: Jeremy Lowell
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 896
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 797
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 800
The new nonfiction from number-one best-selling author and popular radio and television host Glenn Beck.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Astounding History stories gather life
- By Gil on 11-13-14
By: Glenn Beck
-
The Secret Race
- Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
- By: Tyler Hamilton, Daniel Coyle
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,648
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,449
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,450
Here 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 needed to win. 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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Gripping and fascinating
- By Alan on 09-09-12
By: Tyler Hamilton, and others
-
Jan Ullrich
- The Best There Never Was
- By: Daniel Friebe
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 63
In 1997, Jan Ullrich announced himself to the world by obliterating his rivals in the first mountain stage of the Tour de France. So awesome was his display that it sent shockwaves throughout the world of cycling and invited headlines such as L’Équipe’s ‘The New Giant’. He went on to become Germany’s first ever Tour winner, storming to victory in that edition by almost 10 minutes, a result that was greeted as an era-defining changing of the guard. Everyone agreed: Jan Ullrich was the future of cycling.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great account and valuable insights of a (sport) hero and his era
- By Louis M. on 07-27-23
By: Daniel Friebe
-
The Boy Who Runs
- The Odyssey of Julius Achon
- By: John Brant
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 23
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
In the tradition of Uzodinma Iweala's Beasts of No Nation by way of Christopher McDougall's Born to Run, this is the inspirational true story of the Ugandan boy soldier who became a world-renowned runner, then found his calling as director of a world-renowned African children's charity.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Determination of an individual
- By James J Martin on 10-07-24
By: John Brant
-
The Fifties
- By: David Halberstam
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 34 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 569
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 505
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 500
The Fifties is a sweeping social, political, economic, and cultural history of the 10 years that Halberstam regards as seminal in determining what our nation is today. Halberstam offers portraits of not only the titans of the age: Eisenhower, Dulles, Oppenheimer, MacArthur, Hoover, and Nixon; but also of Harley Earl, who put fins on cars; Dick and Mac McDonald and Ray Kroc, who mass-produced the American hamburger; Kemmons Wilson, who placed his Holiday Inns along the nation's roadsides; and more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
one of the very best
- By Chester Chellman on 09-25-18
By: David Halberstam
-
Road to Valor
- A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation
- By: Aili McConnon, Andres McConnon
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 121
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 121
Based on nearly 10 years of research in Italy, France, and Israel, including interviews with Gino Bartali's family, former teammates, a Holocaust survivor Bartali saved, and many others, Road to Valor is the first book ever written about the Italian cycling legend in English and the only book written in any language to fully explore the scope of Bartali's wartime work. An epic tale of courage, comeback, and redemption, it is the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Hollywood .... look this story !!!
- By Fabiano on 04-03-19
By: Aili McConnon, and others
-
A Race Like No Other
- 26.2 Miles Through the Streets of New York
- By: Liz Robbins
- Narrated by: Chris Fogg
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 102
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
New York Times reporter Liz Robbins brings the famed New York City Marathon to life, capturing the day's festivities mile by mile. She tells the stories of the determined competitors - from their friendships and rivalries to their adversity and redemption - through the prism of the unforgettable 2007 race. Infused with rich history of the event's legends and its colorful neighborhood characters, A Race Like No Other provides a curbside seat to the first Sunday in November, breathlessly carrying the reader from the start on the Verrazano to the triumphant finish line.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great story, horrible narrator
- By MPNAC on 10-02-17
By: Liz Robbins
-
Cinderella Man
- James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History
- By: Jeremy Schaap
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 287
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 160
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 161
Lost in the annals of boxing is the sport's true Cinderella story. James J. Braddock, dubbed "Cinderella Man" by Damon Runyon, was a once promising light heavyweight for whom a string of losses in the ring and a broken right hand happened to coincide with the Great Crash of 1929.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By MA on 06-05-05
By: Jeremy Schaap
-
The Climb
- The Autobiography
- By: Chris Froome
- Narrated by: Patrick Doherty
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 561
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 515
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 515
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of the revealing, inspirational memoir from the British winner of the Tour de France. The Climb tells the extraordinary story of Chris Froome's journey from a young boy in Kenya, riding through townships and past wild animals, and with few opportunities for an aspiring cyclist, to his unforgettable yellow jersey victory in the 2013 Tour de France.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lengai
- By michael on 08-21-14
By: Chris Froome
-
Wheelmen
- Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever
- By: Reed Albergotti, Vanessa O'Connell
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 947
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 844
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 840
The first in-depth look at Lance Armstrong's doping scandal, the phenomenal business success built on the back of fraud, and the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports. Lance Armstrong won a record-smashing seven Tours de France after staring down cancer, and in the process became an international symbol of resilience and courage. In a sport constantly dogged by blood-doping scandals, he seemed above the fray. Then, in January 2013, the legend imploded. He admitted doping during the Tours and, in an interview with Oprah, described his "mythic, perfect story" as "one big lie."
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Detailed and balanced account
- By Gabriel on 11-19-13
By: Reed Albergotti, and others
-
The Perfect Mile
- Three Athletes. One Goal. And Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
- By: Neal Bascomb
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 494
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 292
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 290
In the tradition of Seabiscuit, critically acclaimed author Neal Bascomb reaches back to the golden age of sport and crafts an utterly captivating narrative of what may be the most remarkable athletic feat of all time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
nailbiting, on the edge of your seat
- By Todd on 08-10-04
By: Neal Bascomb
-
Marathon Woman
- Running the Race to Revolutionize Women's Sports
- By: Kathrine Switzer
- Narrated by: Kathrine Switzer
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 204
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 179
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 179
A new edition of a sports icon's memoir, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Kathrine Switzer's historic running of the Boston Marathon as the first woman to run. In 1967, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially run what was then the all-male Boston Marathon, infuriating one of the event's directors who attempted to violently eject her. In one of the most iconic sports moments, Switzer escaped and finished the race. She made history - and is poised to do it again on the 50th anniversary of that initial race, when she will run the 2017 Boston Marathon at age 70.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Marathon Woman Has It All
- By Kim R. Bosher on 02-22-18
By: Kathrine Switzer
-
I Invented the Modern Age
- The Rise of Henry Ford and the Most Important Car Ever Made
- By: Richard Snow
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 728
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 631
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 626
In many ways, Henry Ford's story is well-known; in many more ways, it is not. Richard Snow masterfully weaves together a fascinating narrative of Ford's rise to fame through his greatest invention, the Model T. A highly pleasurable listen, filled with scenes and incidents from Ford's life, I Invented the Modern Age shows Richard Snow at the height of his powers as a popular historian and reclaims from history Henry Ford, the remarkable man who, indeed, invented the modern world as we know it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Complicated Man
- By Jean on 11-23-13
By: Richard Snow
-
Wonder Girl
- The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias
- By: Don Van Natta Jr.
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
Texas girl Babe Didrikson never tried a sport too tough and never met a hurdle too high. Despite attempts to keep women from competing, Babe achieved All-American status in basketball and won gold medals in track and field at the 1932 Olympics. Then, Babe attempted to conquer golf. One of the founders of the LPGA, Babe won more consecutive tournaments than any golfer in history. But at the height of her fame, she was diagnosed with cancer. Babe would then take her most daring step of all....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great read
- By Jajam on 01-07-18
Related to this topic
-
The Comeback
- Greg LeMond, the True King of American Cycling, and a Legendary Tour de France
- By: Daniel de Vise
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 351
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 310
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 312
Greg LeMond stunned the sporting world by becoming the first American to win the Tour de France in 1986, defeating French cycling legend Bernard Hinault. Nine months later, LeMond lay in a hospital bed, his career as a bicycle racer seemingly over. And yet, barely two years after this crisis, LeMond mounted a comeback. In 1989, he once again won the Tour - by a narrow margin of eight seconds. It remains the closest Tour de France in history. The Comeback chronicles the life of this great American athlete, from his roots in Nevada and California to the heights of global fame.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good book. Flawed reading.
- By david savage on 07-23-18
By: Daniel de Vise
-
Road to Valor
- A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation
- By: Aili McConnon, Andres McConnon
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 121
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 121
Based on nearly 10 years of research in Italy, France, and Israel, including interviews with Gino Bartali's family, former teammates, a Holocaust survivor Bartali saved, and many others, Road to Valor is the first book ever written about the Italian cycling legend in English and the only book written in any language to fully explore the scope of Bartali's wartime work. An epic tale of courage, comeback, and redemption, it is the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Hollywood .... look this story !!!
- By Fabiano on 04-03-19
By: Aili McConnon, and others
-
Wheelmen
- Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever
- By: Reed Albergotti, Vanessa O'Connell
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 947
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 844
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 840
The first in-depth look at Lance Armstrong's doping scandal, the phenomenal business success built on the back of fraud, and the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports. Lance Armstrong won a record-smashing seven Tours de France after staring down cancer, and in the process became an international symbol of resilience and courage. In a sport constantly dogged by blood-doping scandals, he seemed above the fray. Then, in January 2013, the legend imploded. He admitted doping during the Tours and, in an interview with Oprah, described his "mythic, perfect story" as "one big lie."
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Detailed and balanced account
- By Gabriel on 11-19-13
By: Reed Albergotti, and others
-
Two Hours
- The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon
- By: Ed Caesar
- Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
Two hours to cover 26 miles and 385 yards. Its running's Everest, a feat once seen as impossible for the human body. Now we can glimpse the mountaintop. The sub-two-hour marathon requires an exceptional feat of speed, mental strength, and endurance. The pioneer will have to endure more, live braver, plan better, and be luckier than any who has run before. Ed Caesar takes us into the world of elite runners: the greatest marathoners on Earth.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I liked it!
- By Amazon Customer on 05-07-16
By: Ed Caesar
-
Rome 1960
- The Olympics that Changed the World
- By: David Maraniss
- Narrated by: David Maraniss
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 81
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 47
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 46
The athletes competing in the 1960 Rome Olympics included some of the most honored in Olympic history: decathlete Rafer Johnson, sprinter Wilma Rudolph, Ethiopian marathoner Abebe Bikila, and Louisville boxer Cassius Clay, who at 18 seized the world stage for the first time, four years before he became Muhammad Ali.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Very Good Book
- By Jay on 07-30-08
By: David Maraniss
-
One Summer
- America, 1927
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,585
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,048
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,030
One of the most admired nonfiction writers of our time retells the story of one truly fabulous year in the life of his native country - a fascinating and gripping narrative featuring such outsized American heroes as Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, and yes Herbert Hoover, and a gallery of criminals (Al Capone), eccentrics (Shipwreck Kelly), and close-mouthed politicians (Calvin Coolidge). It was the year Americans attempted and accomplished outsized things and came of age in a big, brawling manner. What a country. What a summer. And what a writer to bring it all so vividly alive.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Why 1927?
- By Mark on 10-18-13
By: Bill Bryson
-
The Comeback
- Greg LeMond, the True King of American Cycling, and a Legendary Tour de France
- By: Daniel de Vise
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 351
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 310
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 312
Greg LeMond stunned the sporting world by becoming the first American to win the Tour de France in 1986, defeating French cycling legend Bernard Hinault. Nine months later, LeMond lay in a hospital bed, his career as a bicycle racer seemingly over. And yet, barely two years after this crisis, LeMond mounted a comeback. In 1989, he once again won the Tour - by a narrow margin of eight seconds. It remains the closest Tour de France in history. The Comeback chronicles the life of this great American athlete, from his roots in Nevada and California to the heights of global fame.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good book. Flawed reading.
- By david savage on 07-23-18
By: Daniel de Vise
-
Road to Valor
- A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation
- By: Aili McConnon, Andres McConnon
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 121
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 121
Based on nearly 10 years of research in Italy, France, and Israel, including interviews with Gino Bartali's family, former teammates, a Holocaust survivor Bartali saved, and many others, Road to Valor is the first book ever written about the Italian cycling legend in English and the only book written in any language to fully explore the scope of Bartali's wartime work. An epic tale of courage, comeback, and redemption, it is the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Hollywood .... look this story !!!
- By Fabiano on 04-03-19
By: Aili McConnon, and others
-
Wheelmen
- Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever
- By: Reed Albergotti, Vanessa O'Connell
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 947
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 844
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 840
The first in-depth look at Lance Armstrong's doping scandal, the phenomenal business success built on the back of fraud, and the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports. Lance Armstrong won a record-smashing seven Tours de France after staring down cancer, and in the process became an international symbol of resilience and courage. In a sport constantly dogged by blood-doping scandals, he seemed above the fray. Then, in January 2013, the legend imploded. He admitted doping during the Tours and, in an interview with Oprah, described his "mythic, perfect story" as "one big lie."
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Detailed and balanced account
- By Gabriel on 11-19-13
By: Reed Albergotti, and others
-
Two Hours
- The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon
- By: Ed Caesar
- Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
Two hours to cover 26 miles and 385 yards. Its running's Everest, a feat once seen as impossible for the human body. Now we can glimpse the mountaintop. The sub-two-hour marathon requires an exceptional feat of speed, mental strength, and endurance. The pioneer will have to endure more, live braver, plan better, and be luckier than any who has run before. Ed Caesar takes us into the world of elite runners: the greatest marathoners on Earth.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I liked it!
- By Amazon Customer on 05-07-16
By: Ed Caesar
-
Rome 1960
- The Olympics that Changed the World
- By: David Maraniss
- Narrated by: David Maraniss
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 81
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 47
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 46
The athletes competing in the 1960 Rome Olympics included some of the most honored in Olympic history: decathlete Rafer Johnson, sprinter Wilma Rudolph, Ethiopian marathoner Abebe Bikila, and Louisville boxer Cassius Clay, who at 18 seized the world stage for the first time, four years before he became Muhammad Ali.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Very Good Book
- By Jay on 07-30-08
By: David Maraniss
-
One Summer
- America, 1927
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,585
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,048
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,030
One of the most admired nonfiction writers of our time retells the story of one truly fabulous year in the life of his native country - a fascinating and gripping narrative featuring such outsized American heroes as Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, and yes Herbert Hoover, and a gallery of criminals (Al Capone), eccentrics (Shipwreck Kelly), and close-mouthed politicians (Calvin Coolidge). It was the year Americans attempted and accomplished outsized things and came of age in a big, brawling manner. What a country. What a summer. And what a writer to bring it all so vividly alive.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Why 1927?
- By Mark on 10-18-13
By: Bill Bryson
-
Cycle of Lies
- The Fall of Lance Armstrong
- By: Juliet Macur
- Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 313
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 283
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 280
The definitive account of Lance Armstrong's spectacular rise and fall. In June 2013, when Lance Armstrong fled his palatial home in Texas, downsizing in the face of multimillion-dollar lawsuits, Juliet Macur was there - talking to his girlfriend and children and listening to Armstrong's version of the truth. She was one of the few media members aside from Oprah Winfrey to be granted extended one-on-one access to the most famous pariah in sports. At the center of Cycle of Lies is Armstrong himself, revealed through face-to-face interviews.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
...Pants on Fire
- By Mel on 03-25-14
By: Juliet Macur
-
Strange Stones
- By: Peter Hessler
- Narrated by: George Backman
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 157
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 136
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 139
Full of unforgettable figures and an unrelenting spirit of adventure, Strange Stones is a far-ranging, thought-provoking collection of Peter Hessler’s best reportage - a dazzling display of the powerful storytelling, shrewd cultural insight, and warm sense of humor that are the trademarks of his work. Over the last decade, as a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of three books, Peter Hessler has lived in Asia and the United States, writing as both native and knowledgeable outsider in these two very different regions.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
funny, entertaining
- By Katherine on 08-02-13
By: Peter Hessler
-
The Limit
- Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
- By: Michael Cannell
- Narrated by: Fred Stella
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 175
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 156
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 155
Phil Hill, a lowly California mechanic who, defying all expectations, became the first American to win the Grand Prix championship. In the tradition of Seabiscuit and The Right Stuff, Cannell’s high-octane narrative evokes the lives of the daredevils who tempted fate each Sunday by driving well over 150 mph without benefit of seat belts or roll bars.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great Intro to F1 History
- By Aser Tolentino on 01-19-13
By: Michael Cannell
-
A Flame of Pure Fire
- Jack Dempsey and the Roaring '20s
- By: Roger Kahn
- Narrated by: Kevin Yon
- Length: 17 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
Through most of the Roaring '20s, Jack Dempsey was the heavyweight champion of the world. With his fierce good looks and matchless dedication to the kill, he was a fighter perfectly suited to his time. In A Flame of Pure Fire, renowned sports writer Roger Kahn not only chronicles the thrilling, brutal bouts of the Manassa Mauler, but also illustrates how the tumultuous 1920s shaped Dempsey - and how the champ, in turn, left an indelible mark on sports and American history.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Ambitious but poorly executed
- By Keith on 10-02-19
By: Roger Kahn
-
The First Tour de France
- Sixty Cyclists and Nineteen Days of Daring on the Road to Paris
- By: Peter Cossins
- Narrated by: Joseph Kloska
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
From its inception, the 1903 Tour de France was a colorful affair. Full of adventure, mishaps, and audacious attempts at cheating, it was a race to be remembered. Cyclists of the time weren't enthusiastic about participating in this "heroic" race on roads more suited to hooves than wheels, with bikes weighing up to 35 pounds, on a single fixed gear, for three full weeks. Assembling enough riders for the race meant paying unemployed amateurs from the suburbs of Paris, including a butcher, a chimney sweep, and a circus acrobat.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great rendition of the tour then and now.
- By Amazon Customer on 03-17-19
By: Peter Cossins
-
The Dirtiest Race in History
- Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and the 1988 Olympic 100M Final
- By: Richard Moore
- Narrated by: Traber Burns
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 53
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 53
The 1988 Seoul Olympics played host to what has been described by some as the dirtiest race of all time, by others as the greatest. The final of the men's 100 metres at those Olympics is certainly the most infamous in the history of athletics, and more indelibly etched into the consciousness of the sport, the Olympics, and a global audience of millions, than any other athletics event before or since.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great story
- By sosnows8 on 07-08-20
By: Richard Moore
-
Major Taylor
- The Inspiring Story of a Black Cyclist and the Men Who Helped Him Achieve Worldwide Fame
- By: Conrad Kerber, Terry Kerber
- Narrated by: Barrie Buckner
- Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 66
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 62
In the wake of the Tour de France’s fallen heroes, the story of one of history’s most legendary cyclists provides a much-needed antidote. In 1907 the world’s most popular athlete was not Cy Young or Ty Cobb. Rather, he was a black bicycle racer named "Major” Taylor. In his day, Taylor became a spiritual and athletic idol. He was the fastest man in America and a champion who prevailed over unspeakable cruelty. The men who aided him were among the most colorful to emerge from the era.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great book terrible narrator
- By B. P. H. on 10-31-18
By: Conrad Kerber, and others
-
Go Like Hell
- Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans
- By: A. J. Baime
- Narrated by: Jones Allen
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,480
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,325
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,325
By the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company, built to bring automobile transportation to the masses, was falling behind. Baby boomers were taking to the roads in droves, looking for speed not safety, style not comfort, and Ford didn’t offer what these young drivers wanted. Meanwhile, Enzo Ferrari lorded over the European racing scene, crafting beautiful, fast sports cars that epitomized style.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Goldern age of racing
- By Dan R. on 01-26-15
By: A. J. Baime
-
Triumph
- The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics
- By: Jeremy Schaap
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 185
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 150
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 148
In 1936, against a backdrop of swastikas flying and storm troopers looming, an African-American son of sharecroppers set three world records and won an unprecedented four gold medals, single-handedly crushing Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy. The story of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics Games is that of a high-profile athlete giving a performance that transcends sports. But it is also the intimate and complex tale of the courage of one remarkable man.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
race headwinds
- By Andy on 04-26-07
By: Jeremy Schaap
-
The Secret Race
- Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
- By: Tyler Hamilton, Daniel Coyle
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,648
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,449
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,450
Here 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 needed to win. 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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Gripping and fascinating
- By Alan on 09-09-12
By: Tyler Hamilton, and others
-
Shut Up, Legs!
- My Wild Ride on and off the Bike
- By: Jens Voigt, James Startt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 276
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 247
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 248
Beloved German cyclist Jens Voigt isn't a superstar in the traditional sense of the word. Although he won three stages of the Tour de France - and wore the yellow jersey twice - Voigt never claimed an overall victory. He became a star because he embodies qualities that go beyond winning and losing: sacrifice, selflessness, reliability, and devotion. European and American crowds were drawn to his aggressive riding style, outgoing nature, and refreshing realness.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Unlike Jensie, the performance lacks
- By Brian Muncy on 03-12-19
By: Jens Voigt, and others
-
The Perfect Mile
- Three Athletes. One Goal. And Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
- By: Neal Bascomb
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 494
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 292
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 290
In the tradition of Seabiscuit, critically acclaimed author Neal Bascomb reaches back to the golden age of sport and crafts an utterly captivating narrative of what may be the most remarkable athletic feat of all time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
nailbiting, on the edge of your seat
- By Todd on 08-10-04
By: Neal Bascomb
What listeners say about Tour de France: The Inside Story
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- desert billiken
- 01-14-16
Ugh
I did not like the reader. Too distracting as he attempted a French accent. I may opt to purchase the book instead of having it read to me.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Yvette D Skinner
- 08-27-14
Decent story, terrible narration
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
Not really. The only reason I kept on with it was because I love cycling.
What did you like best about this story?
I wanted to hear the subject matter, the history of the TdF.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Oscar Sparrow?
OMG my Aunt Helen probably could have done a better job. The narration was the worst part. His affected French and American accents were painful to hear and his British English was so choppy in tempo that it just didn't flow like natural speech.
Did Tour de France: The Inside Story inspire you to do anything?
It inspired me to leave this review as a warning to others.
Any additional comments?
This could have been a much better audio book with better narration. Really. The next time you want someone to speak English with a genuine French accent, get a Frenchman who speaks English. Please.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Manitoba
- 07-31-19
A good read
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well written. and full of fascinating facts. The voice and accents are fantastic.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!