David Millar is about to face his biggest challenge. For the past four years, he has been threatening to fulfil the enormous potential hinted at in 2000 when he won the yellow jersey on his first day in the Tour de France. However, bad luck, tantrums and wavering motivation have held him back. Now 27 years old and approaching his peak as a professional cyclist, Millar's two goals for 2004 are the Tour de France and a gold at the Olympic Games in Athens. In Pursuit of David Millar follows the cycling prodigy as he trains and races in preparation for both competitions. It uncovers the conflict between the urbane, savvy, fashion-conscious Millar and his chosen career in a gruelling, unglamorous sport which demands total dedication and requires its gladiators to pay a high price in pain and sacrifice. Millar himself is aware his apprenticeship is over and that he is in danger of squandering his undoubted natural talent. Having decided to stay with the Cofidis team that has nurtured him since he turned professional instead of seeking a fresh start elsewhere, he knows that now is the time to repay his manager's faith.
Millar's is not a tale of a working class boy trying to find a way out of the factories or off the farm like so many of the riders who make up Europe's professional peloton. He comes from a middle-class background and has other strong interests outside the sport. Constantly beating back his other ambitions to enable him to focus on the sport means that cracks occasionally appear and he has to blow off steam. Some say Millar lacks the drive, aggression and single-mindedness to get to the very top; a criticism he resents. But even Millar agrees he will have to make more sacrifices if he is to reach the upper echelons. Every winter spent surfing and living the carefree life on Australia's beaches makes it even harder to return to Europe and pedal the thousands of kilometres necessary to be ready for the season. In Pursuit of David Millar traces Millar's cycling career from his junior days to the Tour de France and Olympic Games, and uncovers a personality seemingly at odds with the world of professional cycling. Drawing upon exclusive interviews with Millar's family, friends, teammates and coaches, it provides a deep insight into his life and motivations on and off the bike.
- ISBN10 1840188383
- ISBN13 9781840188387
- Publish Date 28 October 2004
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 6 July 2005
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Transworld Publishers Ltd
- Imprint Mainstream Publishing
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 240
- Language English