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Apr 27 2009

A Dog in a Hat: An American Bike Racer’s Story of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium

Posted by Levon in Books, tags: book

A Dog in a Hat: An American Bike Racer’s Story of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium

In this brutally frank book, Joe Parkin puts readers in the whirlwind of the extreme world of professional bicycling, starting with his first visit to his team doctor, where, strapped to a metal table and monitored by humming electrodes, his future as a professional racer is coldly determined. Parkin pulls no punches, celebrating the glory of bike racing at its best, but also exploring the harsh reality of the life behind it. The author covers it all from an insider’s perspective: the drugs, the payoffs, the races bought and paid for, the misery of training, the physical agony of racing, the battles with team owners for contracts and money, the endless promises, and the betrayals by enemies, teammates, and friends. Set in Belgium, the epicenter of all that’s daunting and dazzling about the sport,A Dog in a Hat is one American’s story of his love affair with professional cycling.

Customer Review: Interresting, a little tedious, a “should read” for young racers …
I’m a great fan of cycle racing, and had high hopes for this book. Somehow this tale didn’t quite grab me. Joe Parkin tells a story of life frequently spent at the back of the peleton, not the front. The life of a domestique is not going to read like a biography of Lance Armstrong.

On the positive side, any young athlete intending to ride in Europe ought to look at this book. Yes, the sport is working very hard to clean itself up, but the culture is well over 100 years old. Commonplace events in the thick of the sport, away from the cameras, will come as a surprise to many people.
Customer Review: excellent insight into euro pro bike racing
As a former competitive cyclist, this book intrigued me from the start. Although my racing was purely amateur, I always wondered what being on the pro tour was like.
This book gives you a first hand look at the pro bike circuit in Europe. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. Even if you aren’t into pro cycling, you will enjoy this. There is so much in the news about doping - especially the intense scrutiny of Lance Armstrong. To really understand the sport, you need to read this book.
If you ever wondered what it would be like to actually make a living as a pro cyclist, this book will answer that for you. Joe Parkin explains it all and you can really feel what it is like to be in on the action.
Overall recommend pretty highly. You won’t be disappointed.

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