Read more
Alpe D'Huez is a 13.8km ascent through 21 hairpin turns at an average gradient of 7.8%: it's one of the most famous climbs in professional cycling. Cossins reveals the triumphs, passion and despair behind the greatest exploits on the Alpe.
About the author
First drawn into the sport while a student in Spain in the mid-1980s, PETER COSSINS has been writing about cycling since 1993. He has covered more than a dozen editions of the Tour de France and spent three years as editor of Procycling magazine and the last five as contributing editor to that title. In 2012 he collaborated with Tour de France winner Stephen Roche on his autobiography, Born to Ride. The Monuments, his history of cycling's five greatest one-day Classic races, was published in 2014, when he also translated former French pro Christophe Bassons' autobiography, A Clean Break. Resident in Ilkley, he is the co-author of Two Days in Yorkshire, a review of the 2014 Tour's Grand Depart in the county.
Summary
In Alpe d’ Huez, veteran cycling journalist Peter Cossins reveals the triumphs, passion and despair behind the great exploits on the Alpe and discloses the untold details that have led to the mountain becoming as important to the Tour as the race is to resort at its summit.
Additional text
'peter cossins has planned and authored this book almost to perfection. his prose, pacing and research are admirable to say the least... and yes, he may be right, alpe d'huez could very well be cycling's greatest climb.'
'an interesting and revealing account of the great climb'
‘the highly accessible prose and sheer joy of the writing could tempt even the most casual Sunday cyclists… If any one single climb deserves a book all to itself, it’s the Alpe d’Huez’
'an enjoyable and informative read, loaded with Tour anecdotes and extra-sporting stories'
‘Cossins meticulously describes every hairpin of [Alpe d’Huez] with history and colour… these are the kind of tales on which cycling thrives.’
‘A thorough explanation of why Alpe d'Huez can now claim to be the best known climb in cycling’
