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In 1980, there were exactly four professional bike racers in America. Six years later, an American cycling team would wear the coveted yellow jersey of the Tour de France. And that same team would go on to win Italy's greatest race—the Giro d'Italia—only two years later. Team 7-Eleven is the extraordinary story of how two Olympic speed skaters, Jim Ochowicz and Eric Heiden, pulled together a small group of amateur cyclists and turned them into one of the greatest cycling teams the sport has known. From humble beginnings in a barn in Pennsylvania to soaring victories in the French Alps, Team 7-Eleven is the complete history that has never been fully told—until now.
The 7-Eleven Cycling Team—Team 7-Eleven for short—launched the careers of American cycling superstars Andy Hampsten, Davis Phinney, Bob Roll, Ron Kiefel, and many more. It also changed the cycling world, creating a new team structure based on multiple stars, unified goals, and personal sacrifice for the greater good. And yet at the time it was formed, the number of American cyclists with world-class experience could be counted—literally—on one hand. And the number of American teams that competed in Europe's biggest races was exactly zero.
Team 7-Eleven is the amazing story of how two cycling fans found one exceptional sponsor and created the greatest American cycling team of its era.
Written with the enthusiastic cooperation of the team members, Team 7-Eleven will impress cycling fans with behind-the-scenes stories of the team's founding, its growing pains, and its lasting success as the team that established America as a powerhouse in the world of professional cycling.
Foreword by Eric HeidenForeword by Eddy MerckxPreface1 The Lure of Racing2 Bikes and Blades3 On Heiden’s Coattails4 What’s a Velodrome?5 Birth of a Team6 Boys on a Bender7 Looking for Consistency8 The Purpose-Built Sprinter9 A Reluctant Hero10 Raise the Ranch Dog11 Olympic Bonanza12 The Push to Turn Pro13 A Director with Horse Sense14 The Kid from North Dakota15 From First to Worst16 Not Just Americans Anymore17 Best in Bordeaux18 Triumph on the Gavia19 Ten Days in Yellow20 Southland Bows OutEpilogue7-11 Through History: Senior Team RostersNotesPhotography CreditsIndexAbout the Authors
Dennis_Cathey
Posted January 11, 2013
This is a great book, easy to read, and it keeps the action moving. The 7-11 team, its management, members, and genesis are very important to American pro cycling and Geoff Drake does a good job of capturing the joy of the victories, both large and small, as well as the agonies of 'da feet.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in how American pro cycling really got started, what it was like to experience success in Europe, and what it took to attain many big victories.
Anonymous
Posted March 28, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
In 1980, there were exactly four professional bike racers in America. Six years later, an American cycling team would wear the coveted yellow jersey of the Tour de France. And that same team would go on to win Italy's greatest race—the Giro d'Italia—only two years later. Team 7-Eleven is the extraordinary story of how two Olympic speed skaters, Jim Ochowicz and Eric Heiden, pulled together a small group of amateur cyclists and turned them into one of the greatest cycling teams the sport has known. From humble ...