Wheelmen

Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever

By: Reed Albergotti, Vanessa O'Connell

Narrated by: Santino Fontana

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". But his admission raised more questions than it answered - because he didn't say who had helped him dope or how he skillfully avoided getting caught.

Wall Street Journal reporters Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell broke the news at every turn. In Wheelmen they reveal the broader story of how Armstrong and his supporters used money, power, and cutting-edge science to conquer the world's most difficult race. Wheelmen introduces U.S. Postal Service Team owner Thom Weisel, who in a brazen power play ousted USA Cycling's top leadership and gained control of the sport in the United States, ensuring Armstrong's dominance. Meanwhile, sponsors fought over contracts with Armstrong as the entire sport of cycling began to benefit from the "Lance effect". What had been a quirky, working-class hobby became the pastime of the Masters of the Universe set.

Wheelmen offers a riveting look at what happens when enigmatic genius breaks loose from the strictures of morality. It reveals the competitiveness and ingenuity that sparked blood-doping as an accepted practice, and shows how the Americans methodically constructed an international operation of spies and revolutionary technology to reach the top. At last exposing the truth about Armstrong and American cycling, Wheelmen paints a living portrait of what is, without question, the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports.

©2013 Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell (P)2013 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Authoritative and overflows with forceful details.... Albergotti and O'Connell write like insiders looking out." (Los Angeles Times)

"A chilling tale, and many of the anecdotes Albergotti and O’Connell collected sound like they were actually crafted in a TV-drama writers’ room." (The Atlantic)

"Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O’Connell uncovered plenty more shocking details about the full extent of Armstrong’s drug use as well as the many people and institutions that helped him." (The Daily Beast)

Mind blowing inside look at the scandal of the century

The Lance Armstrong doping scandal was the most crushing sports scandal of the 21st century. It combined the audacity of a man, whose ego knows no bounds, an awe struck public, and a culture of celebrity worship that does not question inconsistencies but worships unabashedly. This book is matter of fact in its assertion of Armstrong, and though truthful about his outrageous narcissism, it never completely bashes him. If anything, this book reflects our culture.

This story isn’t just about Armstrong. But it is about the win at all costs, corrupt culture of sports in general. Not just athletes, but coaches, heads of corporations, and sponsors feed the corruption. The list goes on and on. Santino Fontana, a brilliant actor and stage performer, is a revelation as a narrator. Here’s to hoping he continues to use his talents as a narrator, on a variety of material.

Great book and great narration

Any additional comments?

This was a book written by great reporters with knowledge for the sport— Reed Albergotti is a competitive amateur cyclist.The narration suited the book terrifically. It went at just the right pace, with suitable inflections and voices for quotes.

Wheelmen

An intimate look at Lance Armstrong and the infancy of American pro cycling. I came away wondering if Lance really had a choice if he wanted to be a pro cyclist.
Lance was always arrogant, but also very talented with or without EPO.
A great look into the darker side of pro cycling.

Wow fantastic listen, powerful story

Wow fantastic listen, powerful story! The rise and fall of a cycling legend, told like never before!

Informational then personal towards the end

Great book about someone iconic which I didn’t know all the details on which the book shed light on. Only gripe is how the author projects their attitude/opinion on Armstrong

It is what it is.

Listening to Alex Rodriguez after 60 Minutes was over last pm made me remember this book all over again. Hubris and arrogance team to ruin a smart, uber talented man. I argued with my running partners for years about Armstrong and doping. This book makes the best case for the same that will ever be made. It is detailed and well told.

Riveting Expose into the Lance Armstrong's Coverup

Fascinating listen into the details into how deep the lies and to the extent Lance and the people around him were invested to go to keep the lies from coming out.

Wow. Unbelievable

What made the experience of listening to Wheelmen the most enjoyable?

The Lance Armstrong story or lie is bigger and more deep then I have ever imagined. From his personal lies, to the lives he destroyed to keep those lies, to the the corporate investors who lied because of their investment and for him it is insane. This book reveals it all in great depth but in a story format to draw you in. Read this book then read Tyler Hamiltons book, cycle of lies and you will get the whole picture! I loved it!

Who was your favorite character and why?

The story is the main reason to listen. It is unbelievable and Lance was so far over his head, by his own doing, he should be in jail! Crazy book of the biggest Fraud in history.

Everyone had something to gain to Armstrong's success. All about money and riding coat tails.

Very good perspective on the smallest players allowing the path of most powerful and protected to run amuck in hopes of their own financial gain.

Engaging Story

As someone who never followed the Lance Story but knew the general outlines of it, I found this a compelling listen. I would have liked to have known how widespread doping in fact was in cycling and whether the authors’ thought it would be possible to win without doping. But their focus was on Lance and his various cycling teams and teammates, and they did an impressive job researching and relating the information on Lance’s rose and fall and how doling operated within the teams he was associated with.

The narrator knows French but had a slurry pronunciation of many of the words. He also didn’t have a lot of modulation I his delivering, pretty much hammering on at the same level of intensity throughout. Not a problem, but not an asset either. I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about this story from the reporters who broke it.