Book Review: "Chasing Lance"
How significant is the Tour de France to its namesake country? On Bastille Day, that most French of all holidays, the only financial institution permitted to conduct business is the mobile bank that accompanies the bicycle race as it moves across Europe.
That's one of the many behind-the-scenes tidbits served by Martin Dugard in his chronicle of Lance Armstrong's quest for a record seventh Tour de France victory. Of course, there's little suspense, as we all know that Armstrong was successful, but Chasing Lance is about the journey, not the destination.
Dugard has authored a number of books about human achievement and adventure, and has written articles for magazines like Outside and Sports Illustrated. In Chasing Lance, he capitalizes on his securing of a coveted press pass to bring us an insider's look at the 2005 Tour de France, the race in which Lance Armstrong not only secured his place in the permanent lore of cycling but which was ostensibly his last competition as a profession racer.
Dugard has covered the Tour before, has followed Lance's career for years, and has a love for the sport and a deep appreciation for the challenges of riding in what is billed as the world's toughest competition. He also loves the country of France and has taken the time to study its history. (Don't be fooled by his name; while "Martin du Gard" is a French author who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1937, this Martin has not a drop of Gallic blood in his veins.)
He uses the descriptions of the historical significance of the towns through which the Tour traveled as context for the athletic drama being played out in the race itself. Each chapter is devoted to a stage of the race, with Dugard providing insight as to the individual and team strategies for attempting to master the difficult course. The Tour de France is replete with obscure traditions; it's also a masterpiece of modern logistical achievement as a veritable army travels more than 2,000 miles over the three week course of the race. Chasing Lance provides an entertaining education about the details of both aspects.
The pacing of the book mirrors that of the 2005 version of the race. The early and middle stages are where the heart of the battle for the yellow jersey (the symbol of the overall race leader) are played out, and that's where Dugard concentrates his attention. The strategy for the latter stages is generally centered around not making any mistakes, and there's rarely much drama in terms of the placement of the top riders. But there are still as many subplots playing out as riders in the race, and Dugard provides a look at some of those that might otherwise be overlooked, including some attention to the lantern rouge (the reference to "red lantern" coming from the light that hung from the caboose of a train), the term applied to the rider in last place. In 2005, that distinction belonged to Spaniard Iker Flores, who found no humiliation in his placement. After all, 34 other riders had either dropped out or fallen so far behind as to be disqualified from continung the race.
Dugard is well enough connected to have gotten an interview or two with The Man himself, as well as getting to spend time with other personalities well known to those who follow the Tour de France. The strength of the book comes from his access to those stories and insights, and to the fact that he covered the race from beginning to end, giving him the ability to put into overall context the daily drama (and, yes, even boredom) that played out on the road (and after the day's stage).
In the end, his attempt to equate cosmic significance to Armstrong's achivements borders on hero worship, but that's not to take away from those achievements or the effect they've had on people around the world...and especially other cancer survivors. And I don't fault Dugard for his enthusiasm for Lance, someone who, if not exactly a close friend, does at least have his cell phone number and has called him for a chat. I suspect that for any cycling fan -- or for a fan of human endurance and achievement -- that's pretty heady stuff.
If you're a TdF fan, this is a must-have book. Even if you're new to the sport or the race, Dugard's clear non-technical descriptions of the action and his human-oriented anecdotes make for an interesting and fast read.
Oh, and in case you're wondering...according to Dugard, Lance told him that he will not be racing again. Lance's explanation of why that's so provides the perfect epilogue for the book.
As always, I want to thank the good folks at the Online Marketing department of the Time Warner Book Group for providing a review copy of this book.
Technorati tags: Chasing Lance | Martin Dugard | Tour de France | Lance Armstrong
Jeff, I think that's a fair assessment of this book. Much of the book is not about Lance Armstrong, but rather focuses on the competing riders who are trying to either dethrone him, or just make a name for themselves in the great spectacle that is the Tour de France. I also found the historical vignettes to be quite interesting.
I'd hoped to be able to recommend the book to readers of all ages, but the language gets pretty coarse in places.
Posted by: Eric at November 25, 2005 01:56 PMThis doesn't really have to directly relate to your post, but I've always that if people who do book reviews naturally read faster, or set aside more time for reading? Or both? And usually I have to read a book twice to get most of it out of it? Or is it just kind of an acquired skill?
Posted by: Brian J. Hong at November 26, 2005 12:29 AMSounds like a great book. As Jeff mentioned, the allure of the Tour de France is so much more than sports statistics. It is representative of humanity, the culmination of hard work and determination, facing challenges head-on and overcoming them, collaborating with team mates on race strategy, cycling through some of the most beautiful country in the world (even if it is French), and proving just how strong the human spirit can be. I pray that one day Lance finds a place in his heart for Jesus.
Posted by: Gwynne at November 26, 2005 05:46 PMGwynne, I don't know if you've read Lance's "It's Not About The Bike," which details his battle with cancer, but I was astounded that someone could go through what he did, experiencing nothing short of a miracle of healing, and still not acknowledge any divine involvement. The lesson he came away with–and preaches to others–is that you're as strong as you decide to be.
That's some hard ground for spiritual seed to take root. But your prayer is appropriate recognition that additional miracles can still take place, ones which will have eternal consequences.
Posted by: Eric at November 26, 2005 09:38 PMEric,
you should read the second installment, "Every Second Counts." In it, he delves a little bit more into the spiritual questions, and basically leaves you with an answer you won't be happy with. But at least he's brutally honest about it. He also discusses some of the other issues related to his personal life that weren't covered in the first book - like the divorce.
Posted by: bryan at November 27, 2005 09:18 PMThanks for the review. You've piqued my interest. His ex-wife Kristin contributes articles to Runner's World magazine from time to time.
Posted by: ern at November 28, 2005 01:04 AMEric, I've only read bits of It's Not About the Bike. I am a big fan of his as an athlete and so didn't enjoy knowing that he fails to acknowledge any sort of divine presence in his life (which I agree has been nothing short of miraculous), that he in fact preaches self-reliance to extreme...hard ground indeed, and that is sad.
Posted by: Gwynne at November 28, 2005 12:16 PMBryan, I've looked at "Every Second Counts" but haven't picked it up for precisely the reasons you recommend it. I'm a much bigger fan of "Lance the cyclist" than I am of "Lance the human being." I'd rather read about his exploits in the TDF (and of those around him) than who did what to whom in his personal life. That's why I enjoyed "Chasing Lance" so much; his achievement was the backdrop but there was so much more in the way of rich context.
Ern, I've read some of Kristen's columns in RW; she's a good writer, with keen insights and an engaging way of presenting them. I'd like to see her gain some success of her own in that area, hopefully for more than just "Lance's ex-wife" status.
Posted by: Eric at November 28, 2005 12:30 PMBryan, I've looked at "Every Second Counts" but haven't picked it up for precisely the reasons you recommend it. I'm a much bigger fan of "Lance the cyclist" than I am of "Lance the human being." I'd rather read about his exploits in the TDF (and of those around him) than who did what to whom in his personal life. That's why I enjoyed "Chasing Lance" so much; his achievement was the backdrop but there was so much more in the way of rich context.
Oh, I may have oversold the spiritual context. It's not the major part of the book. Indeed, even the discussion of his divorce is sort of vague "we grew apart" type stuff. He does discuss a lot in the way of what the circus of the TdF is like. And the stories of how he handles the cancer survivors who still are a large part of his life are worthwhile.
I'd give it a chance, if only second-hand.
And if you liked "chasing lance," you'll also like "lance's war," the other journalist-written book about his tour exploits. Lots of details about the preparation, the time he almost lost it all on a pre-race climb in the mountains, and the like. Even some good details about his fellow teammates.
Posted by: bryan at November 30, 2005 08:27 PMBryan, thanks for the clarification. I'll watch for the book on the Barnes & Noble sale rack. ;-)
Posted by: Eric at December 1, 2005 08:43 AMAbout the publisher
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Eric, from your description, it sounds as though the book might be of great interest to those of us who don't have a great passion for sports, in general ... but do enjoy the story of an individual's accomplishments, whatever their field of endeavor ...
Though I am not a great fan of bicycle racing, I am a great fan of Lance Armstrong, his life, the challenges he has overcome and the accomplishments he has reached ...
I often find myself more interested in sports phenomena, than in sports scores ...
Posted by: Jeff at November 25, 2005 01:45 PM