Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape: The Remarkable Life of Jacques Anquetil, the First Five-Times Winner of the Tour de France

 

Containing exclusive contributions from Anquetil's family, friends, teammates, and rivals, this biography untangles myth from reality and confirms that fact is definitely stranger than fiction. Jacques Anquetil was the first man to win the Tour de France five times; the first man to win all three grand tours—the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a España; and the first man to win both the Tour and Vuelta in one year. However, the extraordinary story of Anquetil does not stop at his cycling achievements. He admitted to using drugs, offended fans by confessing that his only motivation for riding was financial, and infamously indulged his enthusiasm for the high life. He also seduced his doctor's wife, had a child with her daughter, and then sustained a ménage à trois with his wife and stepdaughter for 12 years. This is a fascinating, candid look at a controversial and extraordinary man.