Tour Fever: The Armchair Cyclist's Guide to the Tour de France

05.15.06
Second only to the World Cup in number of spectators, the Tour de France–and seven-time winner Lance Armstrong–have become household names. But while millions are tuning into the Tour coverage, few actually know how the Tour is raced or won. Competitive cyclist and journalist J.P. Partland is here to change that with TOUR FEVER: The Armchair Cyclist's Guide to the Tour de France (Perigee Trade Paperback Original; May 2, 2006; $12.95).

In Partland's comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide to the Tour de France, readers will learn all there is to know about the world's most famous racing event, inluding:

- The history and stars of the Tour
- How the Tour is scored
- The varied stages of the race, from snaky time trials to killer mountain stages
- Team strategies and the role each team member plays
- The meaning of the iconic yellow, green, white, and polka-dot jerseys
- Tour lingo, such as peloton, tifosi, flamme rouge, and mountain goats
- The characteristics of a racer and the real reasons they shave their legs
- How riders eat, drink, change clothes, and heed the call of nature without getting off their bikes
- How to follow the Tour online, on television, in the papers, in person, and more!

Just in time for the start of the 2006 Tour de France in July, TOUR FEVER will have readers watching the world's most popular race with the eyes of a pro cyclist, whether or not they ever get on a bike themselves!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J.P. Partland has had Tour Fever since he was in the seventh grade. A journalist since 1991, he is the author of Mountain Bike Madness and The World of BMX, and a regular contributor to Asphalt magazine. An avid racer, Partland medaled in the team pursuit at the US National Cycling Championships in 2002. He has also ridden the Irish Milk Ras, the de facto national tour of Ireland. Visit his website at www.tourfever.com.

TOUR FEVER: The Armchair Cyclist's Guide to the Tour de France
by J.P. Partland
Perigee Trade Paperback Original " May 2006
$12.95 " ISBN: 0-399-53255-2
Visit our website at www.penguin.com

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