# Tyler's book



## rich p (13 Sep 2012)

Okay, you erudite, well-read literary critics...

...not you Noods...

What's the opinion of the book? Persuasive, well-written, worth buying?

Is the US version substantially different from the UK one?

I heard that Fab even gets a mention - anything worth relaying?

Should I buy it or wait till Noodles lends it to me?


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## threebikesmcginty (13 Sep 2012)

Pass noods copy on when you've finished with it, rich.


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## thom (13 Sep 2012)

For my part, things are currently getting sticky with Bjarne Riis. Think I have the UK version.
Sean Yates had a passing mention earlier...
Anyhow, what's the score regarding spoilers on this thread ?


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## rich p (13 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> For my part, things are currently getting sticky with Bjarne Riis. Think I have the UK version.
> Sean Yates had a passing mention earlier...
> Anyhow, what's the score regarding spoilers on this thread ?


Spoil away - only an idiot would read a thread about a book he didn't want to read about!


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## MacB (13 Sep 2012)

rich p said:


> Spoil away - only an idiot would read a thread about a book he didn't want to read about!


 
you called?


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## thom (13 Sep 2012)

rich p said:


> Spoil away - only an idiot would read a thread about a book he didn't want to read about!


OK, so what I really wasn't expecting was when NASA started getting USPostal to try out the drugs they give astronauts to help their high altitude performance...


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## rich p (13 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> OK, so what I really wasn't expecting was when NASA started getting USPostal to try out the drugs they give astronauts to help their high altitude performance...


 Really? Were the drugs on the banned list?


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## Crackle (13 Sep 2012)

rich p said:


> Really? Were the drugs on the banned list?


They were high on the banned list.


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## thom (13 Sep 2012)

rich p said:


> Spoil away - only an idiot would read a thread about a book he didn't want to read about!


But seriously, a few points so far:
1) I did feel some sympathy for LA at one point, early on where he's lying to explain his miraculous TdF performance, saying the very fact he was alive was miraculous
2) Sean Yates... big mate of LA (before Tyler's time), knew Phillipe / Motoman
3) OK it's written in the first person, Tyler's voice but by Dan Coyle of course and you get this nice folksy persona but also nothing approaching the self awareness or harsh critical self analysis of David Millar's book, at least so far. There's only a small sense of painful disillusionment at the choice to dope
4) Blood doping mechanics - effing dodgy to put it mildly - to get 3 bags of blood ready for a grand tour, you start 10 weeks before taking out 1, 4 weeks later you take out 2 from your body and reintroduce the first, a few weeks later you take out 3 and put back 2.


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## thom (13 Sep 2012)

2038882 said:


> On first sight, that is pretty shocking. There is a bit of a cross-over though so you can see why they would go for it.


Hook, line and sinker ;-)
Rotflol


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## hondated (13 Sep 2012)

rich p said:


> Okay, you erudite, well-read literary critics...
> 
> ...not you Noods...
> 
> ...


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## hondated (13 Sep 2012)

Whether its good or not I ordered it last night from Amazon £16 and look forward to reading it.There is a great interview on BBCI PLAYER -Hardtalk if you are interested.


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## rich p (13 Sep 2012)

hondated said:


> Whether its good or not I ordered it last night from Amazon £16 and look forward to reading it.There is a great interview on BBCI PLAYER -Hardtalk if you are interested.


 I listened to that. It was a decent interview but didn't take it much further which makes me think that I've heard all I need to hear from TH. That's not to say that the minutiae in the book isn't worth reading,


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## thom (13 Sep 2012)

Jens Voigt getting some twitter heat
So far I did not see anything regarding him in the book


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## rich p (13 Sep 2012)

I always get confused by the timelines of tweets! Some vitriol there though.


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## thom (13 Sep 2012)

One way to find out about this is just to call up Lance and ask him I guess:


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## lukesdad (14 Sep 2012)

Won't be buying it myself.


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## raindog (14 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> Sean Yates had a passing mention earlier...


in what way thom?

EDIT
just seen post #10 - is that all?


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## thom (14 Sep 2012)

raindog said:


> in what way thom?
> 
> EDIT
> just seen post #10 - is that all?


Yep, at least in this edition. Beyond that is speculation.


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## rich p (14 Sep 2012)

I think Sean has always been on the radar IIRC.


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## thom (14 Sep 2012)

This wasn't done bread and water, in case there was any doubt in your mind:


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## dellzeqq (14 Sep 2012)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FrJTmB2QJg&feature=related​
Phil is not convinced​


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## thom (14 Sep 2012)

Ok, some other points:

1) Regarding Jens, on a comeback race in the US, Tyler tried to talk to Jens but was ignored
"I waited, not quite able to absorb it. Then, shaking my head in sadness, I rode away. I tried not to take it personally. Maybe Jens was just afraid of being associated with me. Maybe I was an unwelcome reminder of what might happen to him if he got popped. Maybe it's just the way the brotherhood works. You're in or you're out. No in between."
The line about getting popped looks an implication but at the same time, through the book there is talk of within teams there being an A team and a B team. Being on a B team could mean you avoid being in it yourself. Who knows ?

2) Rich P, in answer to your query re. Cancellara, when Hamilton left USPostal for CSC, he says Bjarne Riis introduced him to Fuentes, (Operation Puerto) and an Italian trainer, Luigi Cecchini. Cecco was independently wealthy and didn't take payment for working with clients and TH claims he thought riders doped far too much. Cecco thought a rider needed to:
a) be very fit
b) be very skinny
c) have a high hematocrit
Point c) he "regretted" but he did not get involved with the "dark side"
Cecco's client list is quoted as including:
Ullrich, Pantani, Bugno, Bartoli, Petacchi, Cipollini, Cancellara, Casagrande and previously Riis.
The claim really is that Cecco offered training plans with no doping.
However, TH states about Ullrich's comeback from doping:
"He was spending time in Lucca, working with my trainer, Cecco. Like others, I presumed this meant that Ullrich was also working with Ufe - which Ufe soon confirmed." (Ufe = Eufemiano Fuentes).

3) A line about Lance by TH's ex wife :
"Lance is Donald Trump. He might own all of Manhattan, but if there's one tiny corner grocery store out there without his name on it, it drives him crazy".

Would I recommend it ? Well to be honest, most of the revelatory stories have already retold from the book, so what you get are the unpleasant descriptions of some of the mechanics of doping and the story of the relationships of the various protagonists (the human interest side of it), all told in a journalistic easily readable style. That is going to irk you more or less contingent on your personal taste for these characters. Myself, I think it's interesting that even Novitsky kind of has empathy with the athletes he was prosecuting for doping, at least that's what TH claims.
This is perhaps the closest indication of USADA's evidence so far. It is claimed towards the end of the book that one of the problems for Novitsky (and presumably USADA) was the sheer volume of evidence, not only from a wide collection of riders but the whole support crew.
I think it will only be a week or so before USADA produce their case file and we can all see.

Edit: 
Oh yes, even Ferrari had thoughts that Lance's steroid usage was the cause of his Cancer.


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## thom (14 Sep 2012)

Phillipe/Motoman, in March:






Who's that in the background ?


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## Booyaa (14 Sep 2012)

I missed the story, what's the difference with the US and UK versions?


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## rich p (15 Sep 2012)

Booyaa said:


> I missed the story, what's the difference with the US and UK versions?


 The UK one has allegedly been watered down to comply with our stricter libel laws.


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## raindog (15 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> 3) A line about Lance by TH's ex wife :
> "Lance is Donald Trump. He might own all of Manhattan, but if there's one tiny corner grocery store out there without his name on it, it drives him crazy".


love that


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## thom (15 Sep 2012)

Guardian review by Will Fotheringham


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## thom (17 Sep 2012)

A cyclismas review


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## Noodley (18 Sep 2012)

my US version arrived yesterday...


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## thom (18 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> my US version arrived yesterday...


Any juicey bits ?


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## Noodley (18 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> Any juicey bits ?


 
Only read the first couple of chapters and nothing yet...all I have found out is that Andy Hampsten was clean, Bjarne Riis was not, and that Tyler was hard as nails and seems a decent chap...so nothing we didnae already know really.

I shall report anything of interest.

This is Noodley, for CC Racing News, in my kitchen...back to you Trevor in the studio


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## perplexed (18 Sep 2012)

Edit:

Bugger, wrong Tyler for the gag I had in mind...


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## Smokin Joe (18 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> Only read the first couple of chapters and nothing yet...all I have found out is that Andy Hampsten was clean, Bjarne Riis was not, and that Tyler was hard as nails and seems a decent chap...so nothing we didnae already know really.
> 
> I shall report anything of interest.
> 
> This is Noodley, for CC Racing News, in my kitchen...back to you Trevor in the studio


Get on with it man, I'm waiting for the weather.


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## ColinJ (18 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> Only read the first couple of chapters and nothing yet...all I have found out is that Andy Hampsten was clean ...


I found a really (long!) interesting interview with Andy Hampsten which includes a discussion about the effect that EPO had on the peloton - here.



Interview said:


> *schmalz* And in the early 90's when EPO showed up, could you just tell, did the speed just increase by so much?
> 
> *Hampsten* It was individuals, individuals and their buddies, and then entire teams openly laughing at people who had much better results than they did in either time trials or climbing. Everyone knows everyone else's relative abilities. Of course, that changes, people get better and get worse, but it was an open secret from the early 90's on.
> 
> ...


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## Noodley (19 Sep 2012)

USPS doped from the days before Lance arriving. The original "clean" doctor got dumped and a "dodgy" doc arrived...soon "white bags" appeared for the A team - which included Hincapie. Tyler doped in his 3rd year, when he was given testosterone for his "health" by the dodgy doc. Hincapie was using EPO at this time.


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## Dayvo (19 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> USPS doped from the days before Lance arriving. The original "clean" doctor got dumped and a "dodgy" doc arrived...soon "white bags" appeared for the A team - which included Hincapie. Tyler doped in his 3rd year, when he was given testosterone for his "health" by the dodgy doc. Hincapie was using EPO at this time.


 
You splitter, you!


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## Dayvo (19 Sep 2012)

thom said:


>


 
That bloke's 'soul patch' (ziffer) hangs too much to the left!


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## thom (19 Sep 2012)

Dayvo said:


> That bloke's 'soul patch' (ziffer) hangs too much to the left!


Yes, just makes Motoman look even more sinister (LA's EPO carrier on one of the tours). That is Sean Yates in the background, in Sky kit, earlier this year btw...


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## Noodley (19 Sep 2012)

I have avoided lnks to the book, so I am only updating my reading, so if it's been posted before I am sorry too bad:

Lance doped.


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## smutchin (20 Sep 2012)

Booyaa said:


> I missed the story, what's the difference with the US and UK versions?


 
Here are the specific details:

http://www.veloveritas.co.uk/2012/0...en-the-us-and-uk-versions-of-the-secret-race/


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## tigger (20 Sep 2012)

Cyling Weekly gave a review this week, dedicating nearly 3 pages. They seem to have been pretty quiet about the revelations generally though I think


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## Booyaa (20 Sep 2012)

smutchin said:


> Here are the specific details:
> 
> http://www.veloveritas.co.uk/2012/0...en-the-us-and-uk-versions-of-the-secret-race/



Cheers mate.


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## Noodley (23 Sep 2012)

Having read just over half the book, I think I can safely say that Tyler will not be getting a Christmas card from Lance.


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## Smokin Joe (23 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> Having read just over half the book, I think I can safely say that Tyler will not be getting a Christmas card from Lance.


What are you reading, a paragraph a day?

You've had it ages, get on with it man.


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## rich p (23 Sep 2012)

Smokin Joe said:


> What are you reading, a paragraph a day?
> 
> You've had it ages, get on with it man.


 Give him a break Joe, he's reading it in the original English.


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## Noodley (23 Sep 2012)

No point rushing these things...


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## thom (23 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> No point rushing these things...


It's always best take the time to savour the expressive prose.


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## Noodley (23 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> It's always best take the time to savour the expressive prose.


 
It's more a case of reading something and thinking "they did fecking WHAT!?" and re-reading it just to make sure I got it right.


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## thom (23 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> It's more a case of reading something and thinking "they did fecking WHAT!?" and re-reading it just to make sure I got it right.


You've obviously never read any Hunter S Thompson. 
Actually, it could have been sub-titled "Fear and Loathing in the Peloton"


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## Noodley (23 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> You've obviously never read any Hunter S Thompson.


 
Who did he ride for?


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## thom (23 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> Who did he ride for?


Team Gonzo:


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## thom (24 Sep 2012)

Want to hear some phone interviews between Coyle and Ferrari, plus some LA in there too :
http://soundcloud.com/djcoyle
They're from 2004 I think but just uploaded.


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## Noodley (24 Sep 2012)

Here's an interesting one for the fanboys, who rubbished Bassons as a bitter no-hoper - Lance frequently claimed he was so much better than ebveryone else due to his especially high VO2 max, yet Hamilton details that Bassons had a higher VO2 max than Armstrong. Go figure that one...


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## Noodley (25 Sep 2012)

I am also now of the opinion that Sastre deffo doped, given the level and extent of it at CSC. Not named by Hamilton but he was co-leader at CSC and, although I may joining the dots outta sequence, I reckon all the circumstances lead me to the conclusion that he doped - I had previously thought he _might_ have been clean. Oh well, the last clean Tour winner must be Greg after all...


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## rich p (25 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> I am also now of the opinion that Sastre deffo doped, given the level and extent of it at CSC. Not named by Hamilton but he was co-leader at CSC and, although I may joining the dots outta sequence, I reckon all the circumstances lead me to the conclusion that he doped - I had previously thought he _might_ have been clean. Oh well, the last clean Tour winner must be Greg after all...


I don't know if you saw the list of the fastest ever times up A d'Huez last week but Sastre was pretty high on the list. Well under 40 minutes and ahead of some times by Kloden, Mayo and Riis.


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## Hont (25 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> Oh well, the last clean Tour winner must be Greg after all...


Trolling for Wiggo fans? You're forgetting Cadel.


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## thom (25 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> I am also now of the opinion that Sastre deffo doped, given the level and extent of it at CSC. Not named by Hamilton but he was co-leader at CSC and, although I may joining the dots outta sequence, I reckon all the circumstances lead me to the conclusion that he doped - I had previously thought he _might_ have been clean. Oh well, the last clean Tour winner must be Greg after all...


What do you think about Cancellara ? There seem like there could have been a hell of a lot of dodgy practices on the teams he was on.


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## ColinJ (25 Sep 2012)

Hont said:


> Trolling for Wiggo fans? You're forgetting Cadel.


I took that to mean pre-modern 'cleaner' era.


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## thom (25 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I took that to mean pre-modern 'cleaner' era.


Not even Kimmage thinks Wiggins is a doper ;-)

edit: btw, there are rumours that Hincapie is about to issue a doping confession.


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## ColinJ (25 Sep 2012)

I think the reduced W/kg numbers and slower average speeds up the big climbs speak for themselves.

When the Riccos of the peloton were ripping up the kind of nasty climbs they had in the Vuelta this year, and were jumping off their bikes at the finish looking really calm and collected and having enough breath left to immediately start gibbering away to the TV interviewers, you didn't need to be a genius or have access to their blood data to realise that something wasn't right!


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## rich p (25 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> Not even Kimmage thinks Wiggins is a doper ;-)
> 
> edit: btw, there are rumours that Hincapie is about to issue a doping confession.


 I heard that too. Could be worth reading.


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## Noodley (25 Sep 2012)

Sorry, I was meanimg clean b4 Cadel and Wiggins...honest


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## Noodley (25 Sep 2012)

Lance grassing up Hamilton to the UCI for beating him at doping is lower than low. not only a dope cheat but a childish bully when beaten at his own game, and then denying it when hamilton found out. So a coward as well.


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## lukesdad (25 Sep 2012)

Oi feck the book get your arse out training ! You got 3 weeks


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## DogTired (25 Sep 2012)

Hont said:


> Trolling for Wiggo fans? You're forgetting Cadel.


 
Have you heard Cadel speak? Clearly on helium. Not sure if its on the WADA banned list but it'll definitely help him up hills.


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## beastie (26 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> What do you think about Cancellara ? There seem like there could have been a hell of a lot of dodgy practices on the teams he was on.


I really hope not, he is such a classy cyclist.


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## asterix (26 Sep 2012)

rich p said:


> Spoil away - only an idiot would read a thread about a book he didn't want to read about!


 
What we need is a thread about threads about books about LA. Then people who don't want to read threads about books they don't want to read could read that and thus not feel excluded.


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## DogTired (26 Sep 2012)

asterix said:


> What we need is a thread about threads about books about LA. Then people who don't want to read threads about books they don't want to read could read that and thus not feel excluded.


Also a thread for people who know he's guilty, plus a thread for the other 2 who know he's innocent.


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## Smokin Joe (26 Sep 2012)

DogTired said:


> Also a thread for people who know he's guilty, plus a thread for the other 2 who know he's innocent.


And of course a "He never tested positive" thread.


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## ColinJ (26 Sep 2012)

Smokin Joe said:


> And of course a "He never tested positive" thread.


Not forgetting the "Are you _positive_ that he never tested positive?" thread!


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## Smokin Joe (26 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Not forgetting the "Are you _positive_ that he never tested positive?" thread!


Then a hundred page thread where two people debate endlessly whether he was tested 238 or 500 times and ends when one does a massive flounce, the other is banned and the thread locked.


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## smutchin (28 Sep 2012)

Noodley said:


> It's more a case of reading something and thinking "they did fecking WHAT!?" and re-reading it just to make sure I got it right.


 
I read it pretty quickly myself (finished it inside two days) but I want to read it again just to make sure I wasn't dreaming first time round.

d.


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## Noodley (28 Sep 2012)

I am now re-reading "rough ride", before then going back to re-reading Tyler's book


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## martint235 (30 Sep 2012)

Is it worth me spending £9 on? I'm tempted but only tempted so far


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## Dayvo (30 Sep 2012)

martint235 said:


> Is it worth me spending £9 on? I'm tempted but only tempted so far


 
Order it from your local library.


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## ColinJ (30 Sep 2012)

Dayvo said:


> Order it from your local library.


Or wait for a copy of it to appear in the CycleChat library!


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## smutchin (30 Sep 2012)

martint235 said:


> Is it worth me spending £9 on? I'm tempted but only tempted so far



I don't normally buy new books, I wait for the paperback to come out, so from that perspective I'd say no. But it is a cracking read.

d.


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## just jim (30 Sep 2012)

I was surprised at the extent of Haven's involvement in Tylers doping regimen, though I don't know why since P.E.D endevours must be nigh impossible to hide from spouses/ partners (cough..Kik...cough..Sheryl).


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## thom (2 Oct 2012)

An article in a local US newspaper about Scott Mercier, am USPS guy who Tyler mentions as quitting to avoid doping.


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## raindog (2 Oct 2012)

thom said:


> An article in a local US newspaper about Scott Mercier, am USPS guy who Tyler mentions as quitting to avoid doping.


Fantastic stuff - makes you wonder what some of these none dopers would've done on a level playing field. I often think of Bassons saying he used to drop Virenque on climbs in winter training. What a bloody shame when you think about it.


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## rich p (2 Oct 2012)

AA good read and Mercier comes over as a level-headed bloke with some more damning evidence of what went on.


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## thom (2 Oct 2012)

raindog said:


> Fantastic stuff - makes you wonder what some of these none dopers would've done on a level playing field. I often think of Bassons saying he used to drop Virenque on climbs in winter training. What a bloody shame when you think about it.


Yes and I think Virenque's French image is still quite positive ? Maybe someone knows better but I think he was sniping a little at Wiggo during the tour about popularity.


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## raindog (2 Oct 2012)

thom said:


> Maybe someone knows better but I think he was sniping a little at Wiggo during the tour about popularity.


Didn't hear about that but it wouldn't surprise me. He's a nasty, whinging, slimy little sh t. Never did like him.


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## smutchin (2 Oct 2012)

thom said:


> Yes and I think Virenque's French image is still quite positive ?


 
Yes, whenever I think of Virenque, I think "positive".

d.


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## Flying_Monkey (2 Oct 2012)

raindog said:


> Didn't hear about that but it wouldn't surprise me. He's a nasty, whinging, slimy little sh t. Never did like him.


 
Me neither. His popularity in France actually baffles me because he doesn't come across well at all. But I guess he was always the 'housewife's choice'...


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## thom (2 Oct 2012)

It was stuff like this. To be fair, he was responding to Wiggins comments.

He makes the point at the end of that article that his flamboyant riding does leave a lingering memory for many, much like Tyler's jaunt with broken clavicle through the Pyrenees to Biaritz does. 
Despite having doped, their exploits leave an impression and add to their story. Mercier made the point that this still gives Tyler an opportunity to benefit personally in telling his story where his was shut down.


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## rich p (2 Oct 2012)

Well, I'm on jury service this week, which entails sitting in a room waiting for something to happen. Consequently I have read Tyler's book over the course of the last 2 days.
The verdict remains guilty


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## smutchin (10 Oct 2012)

Tyler's book is on the 2012 William Hill Sports Book Of The Year longlist - along with Vicky P's autobiography.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/201...dleton-longlist-william-hill-award?CMP=twt_gu


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## PaulB (13 Oct 2012)

I feel proud to have resisted the pressure put on me, implicitly and explicitly, by fellow cyclists, to read this atrocious book. It was said that to maintain my inside knowledge of the drugs shenanigins corrupting cycling, I need to read this book. I maintain my stand on treating snitching, grassing-up stool-pigeons singing like canaries to make some money, with the total contempt they deserve. Karma will snaffle him up when he least expects it just like it got Pharmstrong.


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## MrSweary (18 Oct 2012)

The book is a piece of fluff in purely writing terms - you'll whip through it in a day or two. That said I enjoyed it in a guilty pleasure sort of way.

It leaves no doubt at all about the extent of guilt amongst the pro peleton and LA in particular - it doesn't particularly shine a light on Tylers internal motivations and life in the way Millars book does. He clearly isn't as self aware as Millar and you get the impression the old "they're all at it" defence still hides away within him - not as an excuse but as an internal justifcation.

So, all told an entertaining and eye-opening book (for a naif at least) but not a great insight into the pro cyclist mentality in the same way as Racing Through The Dark.


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## thom (4 Nov 2012)

Danish article in which Hamilton turns up the heat on Bjarne Riis.
The core assertion is the Riis put him in contact with Fuentes in order that Hamilton could arrange his own doping.
It sounds like Riis was not involved beyond that but that the introduction was deliberate.

Using http://translate.google.com to translate btw.


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## Alun (4 Nov 2012)

What surprises me is how any ex dopers book seems to be snapped up, praised, and every last word is accepted as the gospel truth, even though the authors were not quite so honest, or candid when they were doing the doping.


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## thom (4 Nov 2012)

Alun said:


> What surprises me is how any ex dopers book seems to be snapped up, praised, and every last word is accepted as the gospel truth, even though the authors were not quite so honest, or candid when they were doing the doping.


I think you should give more credit to people and their ability to make up their own minds - rarely do people think things are entirely as is being presented to them. Tyler Hamilton's testimony has changed over time and we can view it with a degree of care but it is unacceptable is to discount the claims because of that. They are stories that provoke questions of people, often very painful ones. Floyd Landis was the same and were it not for people investigating them, the USPS scandal would be uncovered.
People with consistent stories are often trusted because they present nothing for you to question. It is an easy ride, you get lazy and this means from time to time people can get away deep acts of deception.

A person who has shown conflicting behaviour means you know you have to question what he is saying. It's the squeaky clean heroes you want to worry about.

Edit : velonation write up of the Riis/Hamilton story


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## Orbytal (4 Nov 2012)

thom said:


> I think you should give more credit to people and their ability to make up their own minds - rarely do people think things are entirely as is being presented to them. Tyler Hamilton's testimony has changed over time and we can view it with a degree of care but it is unacceptable is to discount the claims because of that. They are stories that provoke questions of people, often very painful ones. Floyd Landis was the same and were it not for people investigating them, the USPS scandal would be uncovered.





thom said:


> People with consistent stories are often trusted because they present nothing for you to question. It is an easy ride, you get lazy and this means from time to time people can get away deep acts of deception.
> 
> A person who has shown conflicting behaviour means you know you have to question what he is saying. It's the squeaky clean heroes you want to worry about.




Well said Thom.

Anyone selling something needs you to want it and if you don’t they need to try and convince you want. In addition to this are people forgetting TH book is not all his own and I don’t mean a ghost writer I am talking about the publishers. They dictate what spin is needed to sell the book so if you have no HYPE you don’t sell and publishers don’t back something they don’t believe in or have a big say in producing.


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## thom (14 Nov 2012)

rich p said:


> Okay, you erudite, well-read literary critics...


Right, well, erm, indeed, since you asked for it rich p, the London Review of books has gone away and commissioned a literary review of The Secret Race : Everyone gets popped. It's taken them time but I guess they wanted to do a proper job.


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## Scruffmonster (14 Nov 2012)

PaulB said:


> I feel proud to have resisted the pressure put on me, implicitly and explicitly, by fellow cyclists, to read this atrocious book. It was said that to maintain my inside knowledge of the drugs shenanigins corrupting cycling, I need to read this book. I maintain my stand on treating snitching, grassing-up stool-pigeons singing like canaries to make some money, with the total contempt they deserve. Karma will snaffle him up when he least expects it just like it got Pharmstrong.


 
Let me know if you want to borrow my Kindle copy.

It's a good book in the way that The Office is funny. There's a certain level of uncomfortable that makes you fidget as you part enjoy, and part suffer it.


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## ColinJ (14 Nov 2012)

Scruffmonster said:


> Let me know if you want to borrow my Kindle copy.


How do you lend a Kindle book? (Without lending the device itself!)


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## Scruffmonster (14 Nov 2012)

ColinJ said:


> How do you lend a Kindle book? (Without lending the device itself!)


 
I'll lend it to someone. As I would a book. They can borrow it, as long as they promise to 'return' it.


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## Orbytal (14 Nov 2012)

thom said:


> Right, well, erm, indeed, since you asked for it rich p, the London Review of books has gone away and commissioned a literary review of The Secret Race : Everyone gets popped. It's taken them time but I guess they wanted to do a proper job.


 
Thanks for the post and attachment. 

A very interesting article in general terms regardless of TH book which I have not read and no intentions of, hence the general comment. It covers a lot of specific and relevant areas well.


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## ColinJ (14 Nov 2012)

Scruffmonster said:


> I'll lend it to someone. As I would a book. They can borrow it, as long as they promise to return it.


Very kind of you!

Actually, I've just found out that you can lend Kindle ebooks as long as the author has enabled the facility - link. (For obvious reasons, many authors/publishers do not do this!)


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## Scruffmonster (14 Nov 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Very kind of you!
> 
> Actually, I've just found out that you can lend Kindle ebooks as long as the author has enabled the facility - link. (For obvious reasons, many authors/publishers do not do this!)


 
Apologies, I did edit.

I wouldn't lend my device, but I could lend someone the book of course.


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## rich p (14 Nov 2012)

thom said:


> Right, well, erm, indeed, since you asked for it rich p, the London Review of books has gone away and commissioned a literary review of The Secret Race : Everyone gets popped. It's taken them time but I guess they wanted to do a proper job.


 Cheers for that Thom - I'll read it all later when I have some more time to spare!


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## Booyaa (16 Nov 2012)

I have read the book and found it very interesting, not entirely I believe Tyler 100% and felt at times it was a bit of a hatchet job prettied up to come over as a from the heart memoir. Interesting insight none the less.


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## Beebo (20 Nov 2012)

Any one who lives/works in London may be interested to know that Tyler Hamilton is signing his book at waterstones in Leadenhall Market on 27th November. (or get the Viz annual signed on 29th!!)
http://www.waterstones.com/watersto...=396|WATERSTONE'S LEADENHALL MARKET&sFilter=1


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## Dave Davenport (20 Nov 2012)

Beebo said:


> Any one who lives/works in London may be interested to know that Tyler Hamilton is signing his book at waterstones in Leadenhall Market on 27th November. (or get the Viz annual signed on 29th!!)
> http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayDetailEvent.do?searchType=2&store=396|WATERSTONE'S LEADENHALL MARKET&sFilter=1


 
Who's signing the Viz annual? If it's the fat slags I'm going!


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## smutchin (26 Nov 2012)

According to Dr Hutch on that Twitter, Tyler's Book has won the William Hill award.


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## beastie (26 Nov 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Very kind of you!
> 
> Actually, I've just found out that you can lend Kindle ebooks as long as the author has enabled the facility - link. (For obvious reasons, many authors/publishers do not do this!)


Only in the US I am afraid.


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## ColinJ (27 Nov 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Actually, I've just found out that you can lend Kindle ebooks as long as the author has enabled the facility - link. (For obvious reasons, many authors/publishers do not do this!)


 


beastie said:


> Only in the US I am afraid.


I hadn't spotted that. Here is the definitive statement on the subject:


Amazon said:


> *Is lending available internationally?*
> 
> At this time, Kindle book lending can only be initiated by customers residing in the United States. If a loan is initiated to a customer outside the United States, the borrower may not be able to accept the loan if the title is not available in their country due to publisher geographical rights.


So, if you have an American friend with a Kindle and you do not live in the USA, you _may_ be able to borrow books from him/her but you won't be able to return the favour.


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## Doseone (27 Nov 2012)

TH is on Hawksbee and Jacobs show on Talk Sport this afternoon.


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## smutchin (27 Nov 2012)

ColinJ said:


> So, if you have an American friend with a Kindle and you do not live in the USA, you _may_ be able to borrow books from him/her but you won't be able to return the favour.


 
You can easily make Kindle books in the UK share-able by using Apprentice Alf's De-DRM app. Of course, I don't condone this kind of thing. Oh no, not me. 

(If anyone's interested in how it works... ebooks aren't a single file, they're a bundle of files in a folder. One of those files contains the DRM information. All you have to do is delete the DRM file from the ebook folder.)

d.


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## Hotblack Desiato (31 Dec 2012)

I have now read THe book!

I'd recommend it to anyone who, like me is a bit on the fringe of all this, knowledegewise* wants to know more and is prepared to be depressed by a new insight into human nature.

Unfortunately I am left with the impression of Hamilton as a weak, rather immature character who at the end of it all still wants to be told by someone, anyone, that he wasn't really responsible for what he did and that he is a nice guy, really.

Fortunately, his friend Daniel Coyle is there to hold his hand and lead him through the really tricky bits. Should a cheat benefit by writing a book confessing all? Maybe it'd be better if he gave the proceeds to charity.

*for want of a better word than 'ignorant'.


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## rich p (31 Dec 2012)

All true HD but I'm willing to gloss over his past for the part he played in Armstrong's downfall. Not a hero, still a drug cheat but at least he was instrumental in bringing down the house that Lance built.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (31 Dec 2012)

TSR was one of the christmas pressies I didn't know about. I still think Armstrong was an innocent victim.

Chapter 10 and moving steadily towards the haribo end.If only "Boy Racer" was this juicy


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## BJH (4 Jan 2013)

Read it just after Christmas and felt that he does come across now as someone who wants to draw a line under his old mistakes.

Must be the catholic in me but I have no trouble in understanding his desire to this. Yes he might make some cash, but at the time when he wrote it, I don't think he could have had any idea that it would be timed so perfectly to become the huge hit it has become. 

Well worth a read


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## Supersuperleeds (4 Jan 2013)

I thought it was a brilliant book, I really enjoyed reading it. I


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