Cross British Sports Book Awards 2015 magazine by Agile Marketing

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CLASSIC CENTURY

HISTORY OF UNPARALLELED ACCOMPLISHMENT Sir Donald Bradman globally acknowledged as the greatest test batsman of all time. He holds the record of highest average of 99.94 which is statistically the greatest achievement by any sportsman in any major sports in the world.

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The first sports books I owned were autobiographies of my two sporting heroes, Bert Trautmann the Manchester City goalkeeper and Godfrey Evans the Kent and England wicket keeper. I kept them for years until they literally fell apart. I read them over and over again. Some of my schoolteachers said that they were the only books I ever read. Not too many years ago the quality of sports books was not particularly outstanding. A couple of two-hour taped interviews with the star name would result in a copy and paste job of seventy or eighty thousand words bashed out at high speed by a harassed sports writer late at night while he or she should probably have been concentrating on their main source of employment. No longer. The bar has been raised and today sports books are meticulously researched, beautifully printed and, almost without exception, well written.

Welcome

At the Cross British Sports Book Awards we celebrate and shower praise upon some of the very best sports books published in 2014. Within the pages of this magazine you will find a wonderful selection of books, which have been shortlisted for the awards. We hope you are able to enjoy as many of the selected books featured as you can – look out for the Cross British Sports Book Awards logo in bookshops, libraries and online. The awards take place on 3rd June – look out for coverage on Sky Sports. This year we welcome our first title sponsor of the event – the A T Cross Pen and Luxury Accessory company – a perfect match for a writing award. David H Willis, Chairman, Cross British Sports Book Awards.

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY of the Year GUY MARTIN: MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Guy Martin

It’s not the winning that makes you a star, it’s how you win. Few golfers have won the Ryder Cup in the snarling, fist-pumping style of Ian Poulter. Talking of aggression, not many footballers match Roy Keane for winning with a snarl. Guy Martin’s fearless pursuit for speed, Chris Froome’s long road to glory, Nicole Cooke’s sacrifices to secure success and Gareth Thomas’s transformation from sporting icon to gay icon all feature here.

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THE SECOND HALF

THE BREAKAWAY

Roy Keane with Roddy Doyle

Nicole Cooke

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NO LIMITS

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Shortlisted Books THE CLIMB

Chris Froome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

PROUD

Gareth Thomas & Michael Calvin 0URXWPY@PVJUQ PUNYSWYUOOBY,XYEUQ UYTUWSVTUOYPXRVDYU QGVRWSTIYSMVTD MUGWUSTYVLY9UOXQ UTNYWPXY>RSWSQP &SVTQBY>KWYWPSQYSQ WPXYQWVRHYVLYU JUTYESWPYUYQXMRXWYWPUWYEUQYQOVEOH ASOOSTIYPSJBY@PXYNXMXSWYXTNXNYEPXT 0URXWPYFXMUJXYWPXYEVRON;QYJVQW GRVJSTXTWYUWPOXWXYWVYMVJXYVKWYUQYU IUHYJUTBY0URXWP;QYSTQGSRSTIYUTN JVCSTIYQWVRHYWRUTQMXTNQYWPXYEVRON VLYQGVRWYWVYWXOOYUYKTSCXRQUOYWRKWP UFVKWYLXXOSTIYOSAXYUTYVKWQSNXRDYUTN LUMSTIYKGYWVYEPVYHVKYRXUOOHYURXB

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BIOGRAPHY of the Year SCREAM: THE TYSON TAPES

While tragedy and scandal dominates this shortlist’s sports stars, the journey to the celebrated peaks in their respective fields is where the real intrigue lies. All six subjects showed incredible bravery either while competing, in their personal lives, or both. But digging deeper into the personalities, problems and pasts of these former pros is what these shortlisted authors offer.

Jonathan Rendall

BOBBY MOORE: THE MAN IN FULL

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ALONE: THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF JOHN CURRY

Bill Jones @PXYGRXCSVKQOH= KTWVONYQWVRHYVL WPXYOSLXYUTNYWRUISM XUROHYNXUWPYVL VPTY:KRRHDYVTX VLYWPXYJVQW LUJVKQYSMXYQAUWXRQYSTYPSQWVRHB 3TLVRJXNYFHY:KRRH;QYVETYOXWWXRQYUTN VCXRY<88YSTWXRCSXEQDY -,./ KTWUTIOXQ WPXYX6WRUVRNSTURHYEXFYVLYWPSQYWV6SMD WRVKFOXNYUTNYFRSOOSUTWYXTSIJUYUQ TXCXRYFXLVRXB

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Matt Dickinson

CHASE YOUR SHADOW

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Shortlisted Books ONE DAY AS A TIGER

John Porter VPTY+VRWXR;Q RXCXOUWVRH JXJVSRYVLYPSQ LRSXTNY?OX6 2UM3TWHRXY.YVTX VLYWPXYMOSJFSTI EVRON;QYIRXUWXQW WUOXTWQBY5UJXN LVRYPSQYIOSWWXRSTIYRXMVRNYVLYNURSTIYLSRQW UQMXTWQDY2UM3TWHRX;QYOSLXYEUQYMKW WRUISMUOOHYQPVRWYFHYUYQSTIOXYRVMA LUOOSTIYPSIPYLRVJY2VKTWY?TTUGKRTUB +VRWXR;QYGVSITUTWYUMMVKTWYQPVEQ JVKTWUSTXXRSTIYUWYSWQYX6WRUVRNSTURH FXQWYUTNYWRUISMYEVRQWY.YUTNYNRUEQ UTYKTLVRIXWWUFOXYGSMWKRXYVLYU NU%%OSTIDYURIKJXTWUWSCXYUTN X6KFXRUTWYOXIXTNBY

SHADOWS ON THE ROAD

Michael Barry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FOOTBALL BOOK of the Year THIRTY-ONE NIL: ON THE ROAD WITH FOOTBALLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OUTSIDERS

James Montague

Imagine if Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top teams were so good that UEFA had no choice but to grant eight places in European club competitions. The reality, of course, is none of them were good enough in 2014/15. Oh, for a manager like Fergie, a midfield general like Roy Keane or a centre half like Bobby Moore. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to console ourselves with the fact that the quality of the submissions in this category meant the judgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; top six became a top eight. ?EURNYQGVTQVRXNYFH

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FERGIE RISES

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www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

THE BOY IN BRAZIL

Seth Burkett ?YMPURJSTID STQSIPWLKO UMMVKTWYVLYUT < =HXUR=VON/Q JUISMUOYQXUQVT UQYWPXYMVKTWRH/Q VTOHY4TIOSQP GRVLXQQSVTUOD WUASTIYUYFSWWXRQEXXWYOVVAYUWYWPX FXUKWSLKOYIUJXYUTNYMKOWKRUO MVTMXRTQYVLYWPXY(8<$Y9VRONY:KG/Q CSFRUTWYPVQWQBY TYPSQY-VKRTXHYLRVJ FVHYWVYJUTDY7XWPY>KRAXWWYUOQV NSQMVCXRXNYUTYKTMUTTHYLUJSOHYOSTAYWV LVVWFUOO/QYLVKTNUWSVTYSTY>RU%SOYUTN MUJXYWVYQXXDYWPRVKIPYUYWRUIXNHYUTN WPXYQUNYLUWXYVLYPSQYMOKFDYWPUWYU MPSONPVVNYNRXUJY-VHVKQOHYLKOLSOOXN UOQVYPUNYUYNURAYQSNXB

BOBBY MOORE: THE MAN IN FULL

Matt Dickinson @PXYNXLSTSWSCX FSVIRUGPHYVL 4TIOUTN/Q IRXUWXQW LVVWFUOOXRDYUTN 9VRONY:KG ESTTSTIYMUGWUSTD FHYVTXYVLYWPXYMVKTWRH/Q JVQW=RXQGXMWXNYLVVWFUOOYERSWXRQB 2UWWY'SMASTQVTYWRUMXQYWPXY-VKRTXHYVL WPSQY4QQX6YFVHYEPVYFXMUJXYWPX GUWRVTYQUSTWYVLY4TIOSQPYLVVWFUOOD GXXOSTIYUEUHYWPXYOUHXRQYVLYOXIXTN UTNYOVVASTIYUWY>VFFHY2VVRX;QYOSLX LRVJYUOOYQSNXQY.YSTYWRSKJGPDYSTYLUSOKRXD STYLKOOB

Shortlisted Books THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HERBERT CHAPMAN

Patrick Barclay ,XRFXRW :PUGJUTDYWPX FVQQYVLYWPX UOO=MVT"KXRSTI ?RQXTUOYWXUJYVL WPXY<)#8QDYEUQ WPXYLUWPXRYVLYUOOYLVVWFUOOYJUTUIXRQD URIKUFOHYWPXYIRXUWXQWYVLYUOOYWSJXYUTN MXRWUSTOHYWPXYJVQWYSJUISTUWSCXB +UWRSMAY>URMOUH/QYGXRMXGWSCXYUTN PSIPOHYSTLVRJXNYFSVIRUGPHYEXUCXQ :PUGJUT/QYQWVRHYSTWVYWPX JVJXTWVKQYWSJXQYWPRVKIPYEPSMPY PXYOSCXNB

THE SECOND HALF

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IN SEARCH OF DUNCAN FERGUSON

I DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT I LOVE IT

Alan Pattullo

Tony Evans

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e interview Michael Calvin whose book The Nowhere Men won the Football Book of the Year 2014 and then was voted by the public as the overall Sports Book of the Year. Where did the idea for The Nowhere Men come from? It developed from a chance conversation in the manager’s office at Millwall, with the then-chief scout Jamie Johnson. He featured in my previous book, Family: Life Death and Football, where I was embedded at the club for a promotion season. There were so many untold war stories, too many intriguing characters, to resist. Like many football fans, Ben Dunn, my publisher at Century, was fascinated by the process of discovery. He saw the potential of delving into a hidden world. What do you hope people reading your book take away from it? A sense that the game is still all about

LAST YEAR’ S BOOK OF THE YEAR The Nowhere Men by Michael Calvin was named overall winner in last year’s awards. A fascinating inside look at football’s hidden tribe – the scouts who scour the world to discover the millionaire stars of tomorrow.

dreams. Scouts are central to the mythology of football. They are the faceless, nameless men who sit in the stands, or congregate on the touchline, with the sole aim of spotting raw talent. I wanted to give an insight into who they are, how they operate and why they do what they do. It is a really disconnected life, with a lot of time on the road, eating on the run. They deserve our understanding and respect. You mention this question in your book – Do you think football is still a people’s game? In essence, it should be. Most players have working class roots. Clubs are status symbols of the community they represent. And yet it is not. Football has grown away from its roots. It is awash with TV money,

but resistant to share its good fortune. There is ill-concealed contempt for the core customer. The game is being repackaged for corporate fashionistas and tourists, who wave plastic flags and get their tickets on secondary sites. How much luck is involved in youngsters being picked up by clubs? Increasingly less. There will always be tales of scouts being assigned to watch a certain schoolboy star, and having their attention diverted by something, and someone, unexpected. But the system is becoming rigorous, especially in the pre-Academy age groups, of boys from six to nine. The best are expected to sacrifice their childhood, which is fundamentally disturbing. Do you think there will ever be a time when scouts will disappear and stats/analytics will be used completely? No. Analytic systems are becoming more sophisticated, but there can be no substitute for the intuition of an ‘old school’ scout who has the game in his blood and bones. Things will evolve, through a new generation of scouts with applied sports science degrees, but there will always need to be a balance. What do you think about Greg Dyke’s plans to increase English players in the Premier League and will it be a good thing for UK scouts? You can’t argue with the principle, but he will struggle to overcome the political realities of his situation. The FA are impotent, compared to the Premier League. I also worry about Dyke’s track record as a sloganeer. He talked of Harry Kane as if he were a Martian, spotted walking down White Hart Lane, but he had been known to the scouting fraternity for years. As for the boys on the road, they are unaffected by the power plays of men in suits. Is the emphasis for scouts to find UK based players? It is a hugely competitive market, especially

at youth level. In terms of senior players, clubs are worried about a premium on transfers involving home grown players. Fans, though, love to see players emerging from Academies. You only have to hear Spurs fans sing about Kane as “one of our own” to recognise that. What about what some people call ‘the crisis’ at the 19ish age group. The players that have been in the big club academies and cannot break their way into the 1st team – is there anything that can be done to make that easier? The lack of game time for young English players is an obvious fault of the system.

Michael Calvin is an award winning author and sports writer. He works as a columnist for the Independent on Sunday, he is the author of three books so far: Family, Proud (with Gareth Thomas) and The Nowhere Men.

The Under 21 League, in which many linger, is a pale imitation of the real thing. The problem will not be solved by the Premier League’s ruinous youth development strategy, the Elite Player Performance Plan. This merely masks greed as supposed progress. It was written by the top 8 clubs, for the top 8 clubs. The real problem – poor coaching – has still to be addressed. Who is the best player you have ever seen play? Diego Armando Maradona. I was in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City at the 1986 World Cup as a young reporter. We saw the devil and the angel that day – the Hand of God goal, followed by the mesmerising dribble past five England players, which is among the best three goals I’ve witnessed. A lot of current young England players are mentioned in The Nowhere Men – what do you think of the current England team and England’s chances in the Euros? There is a sense of optimism and freshness about the England squad, which required wholescale revision after an abject performance in the 2014 World Cup. I worry, though, about the natural conservatism of Roy Hodgson. His fate will be decided by England’s progress in Euro 2016; I would love to see Gary Neville given the job, sooner rather than later. What are you currently working on? My next book, Living On The Volcano, is out in August and will again be published by Ben, and Century. It is a study of 25 football managers, across the four Divisions, across two seasons. I’ve watched them work at close quarters, and have been fascinated by their response to illogical, unrelenting pressure. They’ve opened up as human beings, rather than football men. Most of them had read Family, and The Nowhere Men. They’ve shared their fears, rationalised their ambitions, and spoken very personally about their formative influences.

VOTE FOR YOUR BOOK OF THE YEAR AND WIN NATIONAL BOOK TOKENS! After the awards on 3rd June 2015 we will once again be asking you to vote for The Cross Sports Book of the Year, in association with The Times – from the category winners. Visit the website from 4th June to cast your vote: www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

Everyone who votes will be entered into a draw to win £100 of National Book Tokens. Voting closes midnight 16th June 2015, see the website for terms and conditions.

Welcomed by booklovers and bookshops everywhere National Book Tokens are the only gift card that can be spent everywhere – in all good bookshops, online and on eBooks. Now they also bring you Caboodle – rewards for booklovers like free books, exclusive competitions, and offers from your local bookshop. www.nationalbooktokens.com Previous winners: 2014 The Nowhere Men by Michael Calvin 2013 Bobby’s Open by Steven Reid 2012 Engage: The Fall and Rise of Matt Hampson by Paul Kimmage 2011 Promised Land by Anthony Clavane

NEW WRITER Award DRIVEN

Toby Vintcent

Toby Vintcentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Formula One-based thriller is already an acclaimed work of fiction. The most remarkable thing about the other five books on the shortlist is that the stories they tell really did happen. From Claire Lomasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s robot suit to Paul Vaessenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hero to zero tragedy, and Adam Rackleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s epic transatlantic journey to Anna Krienâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seedy underworld, they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look out of place on a Hollywood billboard.

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FINDING MY FEET

Claire Lomas @PXYJVCSTIYWRKX QWVRHYVLYPVEYVTX NXWXRJSTXND FRUCXD MVKRUIXVKQ EVJUTYNXUOW ESWPYPXR MUWUQWRVGPSM QGSTUOYST-KRHYLVOOVESTIYUTYXCXTWSTI UMMSNXTWBY3TY(8<(Y:OUSRXYJUNX EVRONESNXYPXUNOSTXQYEPXTYQPX EUOAXNYWPXY&VTNVTY2URUWPVTYSTYU GSVTXXRSTIYRVFVWSMYQKSWYWUASTIY < YNUHQB

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SALT, SWEAT, TEARS

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NIGHT GAMES: SEX, POWER AND A JOURNEY INTO THE DARK HEART OF SPORT

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Shortlisted Books SOL CAMPBELL: THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY

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STUCK IN A MOMENT: THE BALLAD OF PAUL VAESSEN

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OUTSTANDING General Writing THE GAME OF OUR LIVES

David Goldblatt

The Game of Our Lives acknowledges how important football is in our culture, a fact this shortlist attests as it is joined by books about Bobby Moore, Roy Keane and Louis van Gaal. However, more people go swimming or get on their bikes once a week than play football, so it is apt there is a book about a cyclist on this shortlist, and one about ice skating, to represent the more niche sports among our eclectic mix.

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BOBBY MOORE: THE MAN IN FULL

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O, LOUIS

Hugo Borst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

THE SECOND HALF

Shortlisted Books THE RACE AGAINST THE STASI

Herbie Sykes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

ALONE: THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF JOHN CURRY

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CRICKET BOOK of the Year 10 FOR 10: HEDLEY VERITY AND THE STORY OF CRICKETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GREATEST BOWLING FEAT

Chris Waters

The good thing about cricket is when Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national team is struggling, seemingly perpetually, we can rely on cricket writers to transport us away from series whitewashes and world cup exits. Of course, the subject matter is not necessarily a cheery one, particularly on the centenary of the First World War, but a wistful look at our cricketing forebears should be embraced.

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THE FINAL OVER

Christopher Sandford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www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

WOUNDED TIGER

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BRITAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LOST CRICKET FESTIVALS

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Shortlisted Books WISDEN ON THE GREAT WAR

Edited by Andrew Renshaw ?YLSWWSTIYWRSFKWXYWV WPXY< 88YJXT LRVJYWPX MRSMAXWSTIYEVRON EPVQXYEURWSJX VFSWKURSXQYPUCX FXXTYCXRSLSXNYUTNYKGNUWXNBY3W STMOKNXQYTXEYVFSWKURSXQYLVRY )YJXT EPVYGOUHXNYLSRQW=MOUQQYMRSMAXWYFKW PUNYFXXTYVCXROVVAXNYFHY9SQNXTBY? GVSITUTWYSTQSIPWYSTWVYWPXYMVPVRWQYVL MRSMAXWXRQYEPVYGOUHXNYWPXYKOWSJUWX IUJXYLVRYWPXSRYMVKTWRHB

FIELD OF SHADOWS

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ycling books are booming, and it’s no surprise; British domination of the velodrome at the London Olympics in 2012, successive winners of the Tour de France and the ongoing exploits of Mark Cavendish have all kept the sport in the public gaze and furnished us with a crop of national heroes. And each of these heroes has told their story to thousands in book form: Bradley Wiggins’ My Time, Chris Froome’s The Climb, Cavendish’s At Speed and many others have spent time on the bestseller lists. But there is more to this boom than superstar biographies. The dark secrets of cycling’s doping era, which fans nervously hope they’ve seen the back of, nonetheless hold an enduring fascination. Many who subscribed to the Cult of Lance and devoured his ﬁrst book It’s Not About the Bike are now turning to David Walsh’s Armstrong take-down Seven Deadly Sins to ﬁnd out exactly how he fooled them. Other uncompromising, agenda-setting works like

THE RISE OF Paul Kimmage’s Rough Ride, along with David Millar and Tyler Hamilton’s confessional memoirs, have become essential reading for those determined not to be fooled again. At the lighter end of the spectrum, eccentric travel memoirs – a longestablished feature of the British book landscape – have a two-wheeled champion in Tim Moore, whose account of riding the whole Tour de France route - French Revolutions – blazed a saddle-sore trail back in 2001. His most recent book does the same for the Giro d’Italia but with the added depth of his retelling of the story of the “Very Terrible” 1914 Giro, contested on wooden-wheeled and cork-brake-padded machinery. A version of which Moore himself masochistically adopts for his own trip. Moore’s sharp wit and deep research result in a superbly told story sprinkled with

The explosion of cycling literature offers a chance to understand the sport we’ve fallen in love with, in all its complicated glory. James Spackman considers. classic lines like “I dismounted, like a dalek at a rodeo”. Tim Moore’s journey into the past highlights an important aspect of our surging interest in cycling books. There’s a natural progression from watching stars winning medals, to trying the sport yourself, to becoming curious about its culture and heritage. But whereas football, cricket and rugby have had a strong presence in our society and media for decades, cycling has been comparatively obscure and foreign, so

Of the iconic riders who form the cast of these epics, Eddy Merckx has received the closest attention of all, with two outstanding biographies in recent years (by William Fotheringham and Daniel Friebe). For many cycling fans, particularly the 2012 generation, this explosion of cycling literature offers a chance to understand the sport they’ve fallen in love with, in all its complicated glory. And this year’s Sports Book Award cycling shortlist features six superb new examples. Felix Lowe’s Climbs and Punishment is a witty and illuminating travelogue, tracing Hannibal’s journey across the alps and meditating on the madness that makes us cycle up hills we could perfectly easily avoid. A madness that certainly afflicts Tim Moore also, as he recreates the almost inhuman ordeals of that 1914 Giro d’Italia, in Gironimo. Ned Boulting’s wit and insight are brought to bear on the 2014 Tour in 101 Damnations, though fortunately his historical obsessions – notably the story of

THE CYCLING BOOK new fans haven’t had the same volume of good domestic writing to delve into. Road cycling’s fundamentally continental history and culture are of course part of its appeal. It has an exotic, arcane nature that encourages you to immerse yourself and discover its secret rules, like a baby-boomer Brit studying the Blues or a wine enthusiast, zealously absorbing every nuance of vintage and terroir. Recent converts want books to help them catch up on their cycling heritage; the icons of the sport, their mythical deeds and the rich, overlapping histories of racing in the historical power-centres of continental cycling. Tour stages pass into legend like battles in epic poems; the newbie cycling obsessive can now discover them in the pages of retrospectives like Richard Moore’s Etape and the wonderful graphic novel-style Legends of the Tour.

Roger Riviere – are also much in evidence. Richard Moore’s Etape provides a kind of primer on iconic Tour stages, combining elegant prose with unusually insightful perspectives from current and past riders. Ellis Bacon reminds us of the sometimes forgotten depths of the domestic scene in Great British Cycling and Herbie Sykes uncovers a remarkable story from behind the Iron Curtain. The Race Against the Stasi portrays the extraordinary clash of cultures that occurred when an East German star of the Peace Race defected to the West. All in all, a thrillingly diverse, passionate and fascinating collection of books. We owe their authors a rousing chapeau! (or, as Ned Boulting would insist: “hat!”). James Spackman is a publisher and cyclist. He is @blackpooltower on Twitter, despite never having been to Blackpool. It1s a long story.

CYCLING BOOK of the Year

Britons now buy in the region of 3.2 million bikes a year, and spending is increasing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; up 40 per cent in the last five years to a record high of Â£950 million in 2014. British Cycling had more than doubled its membership, to 100,000 in January this year, in the space of three years. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing love of cycling is producing an increasing number of books worthy of the yellow jersey.

101 DAMNATIONS

CLIMBS AND PUNISHMENT

Ned Boulting

Felix Lowe

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GREAT BRITISH CYCLING

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www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

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THE RACE AGAINST THE STASI

Shortlisted Books GIRONIMO!

Tim Moore TYWPXYXCXYVLYWPX 0SRVYN/3WUOSU/Q <88WP UTTSCXRQURHDY@SJ 2VVRXYQXWQYVKW WVYMHMOXYWPXYRVKWX VLYWPXYLSRQWYRUMXD UOOY#D< (YAJYVLYSWB TYUY<88= HXUR=VONYEVVNXTYFSAXBY@PUWYPXYFKSOW PSJQXOLBY9PUWYKTLVONQYSQYWPXYWUOXYVLYU NXMRXGSWYMRVMAYWRHSTIYWVYRSNXYUTVWPXR KGYUYWPVKQUTNYOVTXOHYPSOOQDYWPXT NVETYWPXJYESWPYVTOHYESTXYMVRAQYLVR FRUAXQBY5RVJYWPXY?OGQYWVYWPX ?NRSUWSMDYWPXYGUSRYQWXUNSOHYLUOOYWVYFSWQD VTYUTYUNCXTWKRXYWPUWYSQYFHYWKRTQ FVONDYFXUKWSLKOYUTNYRXMAOXQQOH STMVJGXWXTWB

Ã&#x2030;TAPE

Richard Moore @PXYQWVRSXQ FXPSTNYQVJXYVL WPXYNXLSTSTI QWUIXQYSTYWPX @VKRYNXY5RUTMX;Q PSQWVRHD MVTLSRJSTIYWPX EVRON;QYIRXUWXQW FSAXYRUMXYUQ KTRSCUOOXNYSTYSWQYMRXUWSVTYVLYJHWPQ UTNYOXIXTNQDYUTNYUQYUYQWUIXYLVR MVKRUIXDYQMUTNUODYQASOOYUTNYNRUJUB 5XUWKRSTIYX6MOKQSCXYSTWXRCSXEQYESWP 2URAY:UCXTNSQPDY&UTMXY?RJQWRVTID 4NNHY2XRMA6DY>XRTURNY,STUKOWDY0RXI &X2VTNDY'UCSNY2SOOURDY:PRSQ >VURNJUTYUTNYJUTHYVWPXRQDY WUGX QGUTQYLSCXYNXMUNXQYSTYMUGWKRSTIYWPX RUMX;QYJHQWXRHDYFXUKWHYUTN JUNTXQQB

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ILLUSTRATED Book of the Year

Photography has had to adapt to find its place in the modern sporting world. The appetite for 24-hour news and the fixation with social media means pictures have to be instantly accessible and are superseded within hours. Thankfully, these titles show there will always be a permanent place for beautiful pictures, in the form of stunning illustrated compilations.

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THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

PARKRUN: A CELEBRATION

Edited by Reuel Golden

Designer Paul Warrington, Journalist Rob Kemp & Photographers Paul Duke & Julian Ward

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FORMULA ONE CIRCUITS FROM ABOVE

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www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

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GOLFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ROYAL CLUBS

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Shortlisted Books THE ARSENAL SHIRT

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THE ART OF SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

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RUGBY Book of the Year

With one of the most thrilling Six Nations finales in recent memory and the World Cup just around the corner, we can expect a points-fest of rugby books in the next 12 months. In the meantime, here are a few contests to pique our interest â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including Ireland versus Wales in the form of Brian Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Driscoll and Gareth Thomas, and books about the Lions, Twickenham, the England national team and Richard Parks.

BEHIND THE ROSE

BEYOND THE HORIZON

Stephen Jones & Nick Cain

Richard Parks

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THE TEST

PROUD

Brian Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Driscoll

Gareth Thomas & Michael Calvin

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www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

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Shortlisted Books THE SECRET LIFE OF TWICKENHAM

Chris Jones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

UNDEFEATED

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HORSE RACING Book of the Year

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your money on in this category? The bookies always win, as the saying goes, which would make William Hill the odds-on favourite. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up against The Sure Thing, a tale about a man who has already beaten the bookmakers twice. It would take a brave punter to bet against McCoy, and with thoroughbred Burrough Hill Lad, pundit Alastair Down and horse whisperer Gary Witheford also in the running, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fair to say all bets are off.

BURROUGH HILL LAD

IF HORSES COULD TALK

Gavan Naden & Max Riddington

Gary Witheford

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McCOY IN THE FRAME

Alastair Down

Edward Whitaker

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www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

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Shortlisted Books WILLIAM HILL

Graham Sharpe with Mihir Bose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

Nick Townsend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Cross British Sports Book Awards on Book Chap

For those that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do browsing. Discover more background on the shortlisted books & the sportsmen & women featured, & win free copies at: CPPL DPN DIBQ

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Sports images courtesy of Photo credits: Front cover & page 15: Jo Pavey of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 453529408, Michael Steele/Getty Images Sport. Page 3 & 9: Cardiff City fans show their support during the Barclays Premier League match between Cardiff City and Stoke City. 485600875, Michael Steele/Getty Images Sport. Page 5: Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal celebrates after scoring. 457427478, Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Sport. Page 7: The Women's 60 metres Hurdles during day one of the 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships. 465456564, Ian Walton/Getty Images Sport. Page 10: Tim Hoogland of Fulham beats the dive of Stephen Henderson of Charlton. 457797290, Jamie McDonald/Getty Images Sport. Page 17: Athletes compete in the Men's 10,000 metres final. 453032158, Alex Livesey/Getty Images Sport. Page 19: Ashton Agar of Australia. 173273959, Ryan Pierse/Getty Images Sport. Page 20: Ladies Tour of Qatar - Stage One. 462703816, Francois Nel/Getty Images Sport. Page 23: Le Tour de France 2014 - Stage Two. 451759166, Gareth Copley/Getty Images Sport. Page 25: F1 Grand Prix of Russia. 457046810, Paul Gilham/Getty Images Sport. Pages 26 & 27: 20th Commonwealth Games Day 5. 452860716, Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Sport. Page 29: Wales captain Sam Warburton. 478892337, Stu Forster/Getty Images Sport. Page 31: Ascot Races. 454769412, Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Sport. Page 33: 20th Commonwealth Games - Day 9: Athletics. 453033274, Hannah Peters/Getty Images Sport. This page: Ashley Barnes of Burnley beats Joe Hart of Manchester City. 460870458, Alex Livesey/Getty Images Sport.

Magazine Credits: Managing Director: Production Manager: Graphic Design:

Alastair Giles Danielle Bowers Steve Wells

JUST THE TICKET FOR A SPORTS MAD DAD

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CROSS EDGE

EDGE THE COMPETITION NEPTUNE COLLONGES WAS THE WINNER OF THE 2012 GRAND NATIONAL The blanket finish was the closest in the race’s history, but the horses’ connections are not the only sporting hopefuls to anxiously await the deliberations of the experts trying to separate competitors in an almost dead heat.

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