Sky's the Limit: British Cycling's Quest to Conquer the Tour de France

I loved Richard Moore's book "In search of Robert Millar" a fantastic and captivating read. I was expecting something similar in this book and the overall writing is fine and the story agreeable but in my opinion as an avid follower of cycling and of UK/Scottish cycling in particular it was missing the in-depth analysis or more personal angles I was anticipating. Having an appreciation of the antics in the pro cycling world and the general politicking that goes on my impression overall was this didn't take enough risks in the telling and stayed a bit too "safe". Overall though I really did like it and I would recommend it - especially to any Sky fans.Maybe the ending like the front cover will be updated to include Wiggins winning Le Tour in 2012 with Sky 1 & 2 on the podium, that as the culmination to what is a fine story and a remarkable journey might just be what it needs to get 5 stars.

There are not as many details into some of the internal issues having to do with with staffing, riders, etc., but the author does do his usual good job at giving us the gust of the story. It is certainly a great tale of David kicking Goliath's arse: the main difference being instead of David using a slingshot with a stone, he used the latest laser weaponry. the £ does tend to begat success.

Me pareció aburrido, muchas anécdotas

Excelente

I started to read this book just prior to the start of the 2012 Tour de France, and finished it almost at the same time that Bradley Wiggings saluted the crowd from the numer 1 spot of the podium at Paris' most famous Avenue. The book indeed met my expectations. It is a frank, honest and revealing report of what I should describe as "The Brailsford Method". Being a fanatic cyclist myself, and living in Flanders, I did have my reservations about this approach when Sky stormed into the cycling world, clearly intending to get rid of the so called old fashioned methods. However, it became rapidly clear that it required more than a scientific approach, highly sophisticated tools, a state of the art teamcoach and expensive, flashy cars, to pull down what can be described as the century old (continental) cycling culture in all its aspects. Brailsford's determination to reduce the "variables" that can influence a road race, to a low 1 or 2% quickly turned out to be an unrealistic ambition. As David Millar rightly pointed out, the strength of Sky was also its weakness, and Sky had to accept that these variables could not get any lower than 20 to 25%. The team management also realized quite quickly that one needed to invest in the effort to get accepted by the peleton, rather than to tell these people what they should do and how they should do it. The book describes this proces very well and the behind-the-scenes developments, the anger, the frustrations, the joy and misery make for an absorbing read. And, yes, in the meantime it seems that Brailsford's great ambition, to win the Tour de France within 5 years of starting the Sky project, was not an elusive dream. The big challenge will be however to confirm this in the next season, to keep the team happy and go for a repeat performance. I just wonder what will happen should another full blooded British professional cycling team enter the peleton. Would Brailsford still be able to combine his Sky job with that of British Cycling supremo??? While I strongly recommend this fascinating book to everyone interested in the business side of professional cycling, there is an unfortunate sloppy (and to me, Fleming) rather annoying mistake: in one of the final chapters, when doping is (again) discussed, the name of the famous Festina "soigneur" Willy Voet is wrongly spelled (Voight). I hope this will be put right in the next editions

I am a cycling fan and have been for years. I love the Tour and have been interested in track cycling since Chris Boardman. I love the idea of 'aggregation of marginal gains' as a concept. I thought the book was thought provoking but would have liked more of Dave Brailsford/Shane Sutton and the current management thinking. It was also odd reading it post Olympics 2012 knowing that good things were on their way..It was open that some of the GB cycling/Team Sky thinking didn't always work out but shows that at least they are trying to bring some original thinking to Pro Cycling.A good read for cycle fans but also into the infrastructure of a British sporting success story.

This book was written at the end of the 2010 season, Sky's first. Their season had been very much a curate's egg and there is very definitely a 'watch this space' feel about the book's ending. If it had been written now (Oct. 2011) it could have seamlessly included the team's success in the Tour of Spain, the British domination of the World Road Championships and the final coup de grace, the signing of new world champion Mark Cavendish. Somehow it all seems so much more defined. As it is the book is well written and lets us into some of the inner thoughts and working of the team's backroom boys. Much emphasis is on David Brailsford, rightly so I feel, although other reviewers I know disagree. If you are a follower of all things in cycle sport then this is required reading. I read it in two sessions. Recommended.

Gives a real feel for the inner workings and background of Team Sky. A lot of what’s in here can’t be found in other books. I started reading this as a cycling fan but not necessarily a Team Sky one, that’s now changed. The (unfair) prejudices I had have gone. It’s left me feeling like I’d love a beer with DB and CF and I’d even buy them!

Fascinating story and a good lesson in how to systematically attack a problem and through a culture of excellence, achieve one's goals.Dave Brailsford is an exceptional team builder in the mould of the finest leaders.Yes it's a book about cycling but it is also a good book on strategy, leadership and team building.It is no accident that Brailsford is so successful, Arise Sir David, you deserve it !