Cycling 70 Years by Gordon Neale

Spinning through the years of a remarkable life on the move, Cycling 70 Years: Once World Champion by Gordon Neale is an inspiring and original memoir from a humble champion of the sport.

Recounting his eclectic and adventurous decades as a long-distance cyclist, from amateur competitions in France, Spain, and England to securing a World Championship in Russia, along with a diverse career off the bike, this is an intimate tale of resilience, discipline, and a healthy dose of reckless abandon. Whether competing, training, coaching, traveling, recovering, or relaxing in style, the author’s free-spirited optimism and perennial stubbornness lead to an effortlessly entertaining read.

Neale’s prose is often a smooth flow of memories and reflections, which keeps the memoir accessible and conversational, but tangential asides, repeated anecdotes, consistent grammatical/syntax errors, and certain filler details could be trimmed to make the narrative more seamless. The tone can also be journalistic in its impartiality, even in serious moments, such as the tragic death of an old friend or deep disappointments at key points in his racing career.

That said, the unpolished nature of the writing simultaneously rings with authenticity, allowing Neale’s personality and perspective to be fully expressed on the page. All told, this is a gritty, clever, and honest portrait of a long and well-tread life, which will appeal to readers well beyond the world of cycling.

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