A new book is set to be published which tells the story of the rise of Irish cycling during the 80s when two riders – Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche – made it to the very top of the sport.
The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation is written by Barry Ryan.
Ryan is a freelance journalist who contributes cycling news and features to The Independent, Cyclingnews.com and Cycling World.
The hardback book is being published by Gill Books and is due out in September.
This is the description of the book:
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For most of the 20th century, professional cycling was dominated by riders from the continental strongholds of France, Italy, Belgium and Spain, but in the 1980s two young men from Ireland rose from obscure beginnings to dominate the sport: Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche.
Kelly was quiet, consistent and famously resilient – the dominant classics rider of his era. Roche, by contrast, was a charismatic and mercurial presence, whose unruly talent would carry him to the Triple Crown in 1987 – victories at the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and World Championships – a feat unmatched in the three decades since.
Today, they remain giants of the sport, feted by fans across the world who recall the iconic climbs, sprints and pursuits that secured their legacies. But behind the bikes there lies a bigger drama: an untold story of influences shared, friendships made and broken, and conflict with cycling’s old guard.
This is that story.
Based on new and exclusive interviews with Kelly and Roche themselves, as well their teammates, rivals and confidantes, including Paul Kimmage, Martin Earley, David Walsh and Pat McQuaid, The Ascent is the dramatic and inspiring story of how a generation of Irish cyclists took on the world and won.
Is the writer the lad who annoyed Sir Dave?