The Man and His Bike: Musings on life and the art of cycling

Wilfried de Jong

Apr 2017 · Random House

About this ebook

The world as seen from a bike

'Understated, comic and melancholic... It’ll inspire you to get back on your bike.' Martin Love, The Guardian

‘One of the most entertaining sports books I have ever read’ Joe Short, The Daily Express

In this award-winning collection of cycling tales, Wilfried de Jong uncovers the true soul of cycling – why we do it, why we watch it, why we hate it, why we love it – stripped bare.

With his distinctly comic and melancholic charm Wilfried ponders life, love and death on his trusted bike, chasing the essence of our existence against the backdrop of major cycling events or while roaming alone in nature.

Whether he is describing being ejected from Paris-Roubaix, a terminal incident with a bird while out riding, or explaining why he is standing stark naked on Belgian cobbles with a tyre in his hand, Wilfried unlocks a sport that involves so much pain, punishment, and a high probability of failure, but that will always liberate and inspire us.

About the author

Wilfried de Jong is a well-known and highly regarded broadcaster, journalist and writer in his native Holland. A familiar face on Dutch TV, he has made a number of award-winning sports documentaries. In 2012 he won the Nico Scheepmaker Award for the best sports book of the year for Head in the Wind, which went on to be a bestseller in Holland. In 2015 his collection of cycling columns Solo was nominated for the Dutch Sports Book of the Year. The Man and his Bike combines the very best of De Jong’s stories on cycling in one unique collection.

Introduced by Bert Wagendorp, author of Ventoux