TDF History Book?

[mezza]

Geez, a cycling related thread in this section! What is the world coming to?? ;)

Just wondering if anyone knows of a good book on the history of the Tour De France? In particular the first few. Or, a good detailed book of the very first TDF would be good too.

Thanks guys :)

[veloGeezer]

Look up "Le Tour: 100 years of the tour de France" byJeremy Whittle. Its on Amazon. I have an earlier edition than the one they sell now, but its got great pictures and stories from the Tour's different eras.

Another great book of cycling history is "Uphill Battle" by Owen Mullholland. Each chapter is a narative story about a great climber from the past. From Rene Pottier, Ottavio Bottecchia, and Eugene Christophe to Marco Pantani and Lance Armstrong. Every story in the book centers around exploits in the mountains of the Tour and Giro. It reads great, too. You can pick it up and open it to any chapter and just start reading. My favorite story is how in Gino Bartalli saved Italy from a revolution by pulling back 20 minutes on Louison Bobet in the first stage in the Alps in 1948. The night before the stage the Prime Minister of Italy called the great championisimo to plead with him over the telephone to win the Tour and save his country from chaos. They just don't make em like Gino Bartalli anymore.