It's Not About the Bike

de Sally Jenkins, Lance Armstrong

'A slow death is not for me. I don't do anything slow, not even breathe.' In 1996, 24-year-old Lance Armstrong was ranked the number one cyclist in the world. But that October the Golden Boy of American cycling was sidelined by advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain. His chance for recovery was as low as twenty per cent. Armstrong embarked on the most aggressive form of chemotherapy available and underwent surgery-including brain surgery-to remove cancer that the treatments could not reach. Five months after his diagnosis he resumed training under a cloud of uncertainty. This is the story of a journey, from inauspicious beginnings through triumph, tragedy, transformation and transcendence. It is a story of early success, near fatal cancer, survival, recovery, victory in the 1999, 2000 and now 2001 Tour de France, the Sydney Olympics, marriage and first-time fatherhood. Filled with the physical, emotional and spiritual details of his recovery, It's Not About the Bike traces the remarkable journey of this great athlete to a singularly inspiring appreciation of life lived to the fullest. 'Armstrong's story is both inspiring and uplifting. It might not be about the bike, but it's one hell of a ride.' - Perth Sunday Times 'This is not just a cycling book. It's one of the most heart-rendering accounts of an athlete's struggle against cancer.' - Rupert Guiness, Australian