Le Tour de France 2008

Categories: Sports , In the News

What does it take to get into the Tour de France? Blood, sweat, tears, and a ton of determination.  Lance Armstrong won an unpredecented seven consecutive events.  Johan Bruyneel, a Belgian cyclist and trainer, told Lance in 1998, "if we're going to ride the Tour, we might as well win".  Bruyneel's new book, We Might As Well Win: The Road to Success With the Mastermind Behind Eight Tour de France Victories, describes his well-proven training regime.  

To understand the level of hysteria that rises throughout France for this event, think March Madness here in the U.S.  While the finish line is always on the Champs Elysee in Paris, the route of the course changes every year, causing much competition and speculation amongst people in the Provinces.  The Tour's official website is loaded with information and videos providing every detail about the 2,000+ mile race, which was first run in 1903.  There are also some very cool ways in which you can watch live coverage: via Google Maps or through the tips on this Silicon Valley site.

Following is a list of just a few of the resources the Library offers for learning more about the Tour or for learning more about cycling in general, just in case you become inspired by the person wearing the Yellow Jersey at the end of the road on July 27. 

23 days in July : inside Lance Armstrong's record-breaking Tour de France victory by John Wilcockson

Chasing Lance : the 2005 Tour de France and Lance Armstrong's ride of a lifetime by Martin Dugard

Big Six: Lance Armstrong's Greatest Moments from the Tour de France 1999-2004 on DVD

Bicycling Magazine's New Cyclist Handbook : ride with confidence and avoid common pitfalls by the Rodale Press

Bicycling Magazine's Century Training Program : 100 days to 100 miles by Marla Streb