Heroes, Villains and Velodromes reveals how an elite athlete, Chris Hoy, lives, breathes and pushes the boundaries of his sport. How does he do it? And why? What drives him to put his body through the physical and mental hurdles to become the best in the world?
This is also the story of an extraordinary year in the life of an extraordinary sportsman, one which started with his best–ever world championships in Mallorca – where, for the first time in his career, he became a double world champion – continued with his attempt on the world kilometre record in La Paz, Bolivia, went on to Japan where he spent three months riding the crazy keirin circuit, before returning to training at the world–class Manchester velodrome in the buildup to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
By shadowing Hoy through a season with the British track cycling team, author Richard Moore has gained an unembellished insight into the mind of a world champion. He has also attained unprecedented levels of access to the key members of the all–conquering British team (which smashed all records and dominated the 2007 world championships) and support staff, including top coaches, world–renowned psychiatrists, doctors (where the subject of drug abuse is an ever–present shadow) and the pivotal characters behind the scenes.
Combining his forensic knowledge of the cycling world with his acclaimed skills as a tenacious investigative journalist, Moore captures the mood of the British team and explores an area of professional sport that has rarely been seen before.
