We were all cycling fans in Wales in 2018, weren't we? Well, we certainly were for a couple of sunny, yellow weeks in July when, as Phil Stead puts it, 'our greatest cyclist won the greatest race'. Phil himself is no stranger to following the Tour de France, and in this must-read book for occasional and full-time cycling enthusiasts alike, he combines a stage-by-stage account of Geraint Thomas's race with memorable anecdotes from his own years of watching the Tour from the roadsides. There's also plenty of analysis of the sport itself, presented in an appealing and accessible way for anyone who enjoyed watching a Welshman reach the top of the podium on the Champs-Elysees this summer. As ever, Phil Stead writes eloquently and entertainingly, and yes, it's a compelling read that will see you flying with the peloton and the maillot jaune all the way from the prologue to Paris. But the Tour, of course, features rest days during the three weeks of racing, and this gives the author the opportunity to share his knowledge of Welsh cycling from the early days onwards, in a particularly riveting chapter about our nation's relatively unknown cycling past. There's detailed analysis too of the rise of Geraint Thomas himself, on the second rest day, from his days at Maindy Flyers to 2018, the year when everything seemed to fall into place. And for anyone who felt this year, more than ever, that the sofa was no place to be watching the Tour, Phil provides plenty of inspiration and practical advice on travelling with the Tour, as well as tales of his epic rides to conquer some of the Tour's biggest climbs. It was impossible not to smile while watching Geraint Thomas ride through Paris, the red dragon flying. And for me, the same was true of reading Phil's account of the Welshman's historic win. Always informative and interesting, the stage-by-stage chapters bring it all back, capturing the crucial elements of each day of racing. And there's never a dull moment in Phil's account of his own Tour escapades either, with several memorable tales, not least of his holiday-interrupting efforts to follow this year's race, once the realisation set in that he would be watching a new chapter being written in Welsh sporting history. I'm glad you've been following the Tour for years, Phil, and this year's in particular, and can recommend your account of it to anyone and everyone who enjoyed watching 'G' win for Wales. -- Nia Peris @ www.gwales.com
