Roadie

by Smith, Jamie

• ISBN13: 9781934030172
• ISBN10: 1934030171
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-03-28
• Publisher: Velopress

Summary

Veteran race announcer and long-time cycling enthusiast Jamie Smith sets out to explain the sport he loves and the roadies who live for it in this light-hearted treatise on bike racing. Finally, a book to explain those people who roll out for a ride dressed in techno-coloured Lycra at the crack of dawn on Saturday, and return at sundown with a glow of satisfaction and even stronger tan lines. Explaining strategy and races from the famous Tour de France race to the local criterion, "Roadie" brings the excitement of bike racing alive for anyone with an appetite for adrenaline. And for the thousands who purchase a shiny new road bike each spring, it's a much- needed primer on the politics of a group ride. Pace lines, drafting, sprinting, climbing, and breakaways are turned into everyday commonsense with colourful anecdotes. Whether interested onlooker or cycling aficionado, readers will find themselves laughing out loud as they revel in the roadie's world.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
A Taste of the Good Life	p. 1
Riders Ready	p. 3
The Bike	p. 15
The Lifestyle	p. 27
The Training Ride	p. 35
Nutrition and the Bonk	p. 55
Classroom Sessions	p. 65
Drafting and the Breakaway	p. 67
The Sprint, the Solo, the Combine, and Others	p. 83
Crashes	p. 91
Supporting Roles	p. 101
Race Day	p. 103
The System	p. 115
Our Sponsors	p. 129
Riders Ready	p. 141
The Criterium	p. 143
The Road Race	p. 159
The Individual Time Trial	p. 169
The Stage Race	p. 179
Podium Finish	p. 191
Epilogue	p. 197
About the Author	p. 203
About the Illustrator	p. 205
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