A rough ride Kimmage

specialgueststar

Just dipped into it randomly for two pages - didn't realise so many contradictions!

First he goes on about a one day race nr Senlis Paris France (riding for RMO) He signs on but then hides in the toilet to avoid the start. Gets in his car and then drives home to Dublin via Dover

When home he gets a call from Ever Ready to fill Roche's place in a composite team in the Nissan? He gets dropped on the first stage - seriously considers abandoning but doesn't because Ever Ready gave him a contract and not honouring it would 'not be professional' :shock:

He's feeling pretty crap - rooms with Yates - who tests his blood ?? declares him low on iron and prepares him a syringe of 'vitamins and iron' . Yates is the nicest bloke in the peloton though...

Next he's at the RMO training camp at Gruissan on the 'French Riviera' - which it isn't - it's on the med in Languedoc - he's been in France long enough by now....

All seems a bit scrappy!

thomasmc

I find my opinion of a particular book can change as I read through it, probably best to read it through from start to finish to get proper feel for it.

Its over 10 years since I read it last so forget the details but I thought it was quite an honest account of his time as a pro

jamie1012

The only serious contradiction I remember is that Kimmage "honestly" states his weaknesses and his strengths, saying that he didn't have a lot of talent or class but he had courage and determination, and then there's a few hundred pages of evidence of this "courage and determination" in the form of descriptions of his many, many abandonments and lots of moaning about training.

I admire his fight against doping and rate him as a writer, but I just don't think he was cut out for pro cycling and he wouldn't have been even if the sport was as clean as a whistle.

dave_1

It was a great read but I do see how Roche,who got Paul a team and Giro+TDF starts in 1989
felt Paul didn't pay back thanks beyond querying everyone. I was annoyed Paul recently dug up Lemond side
account of Kelly trying to buy Milan San Remo 1986.
Lemond was never Kelly's equal in classics nor almost every other race
outside TDF...so annoyed me a bit. But still like Paul and agree with his attitude to sky team and his
Armstrong confrontations.

danlikesbikes

Good book, but as others have said probably best read cover to cover. Don't recall any big things sticking but was a while ago when I read the book.

dave_1

The stories of Andre and Clavet were good. Dirk De Wolf will never recover in my mind