Chased by Pandas: My life in the mysterious world of cycling

Product Information

What’s in a title? “My Way” wouldn’t be original but it could be deserved. Dan Martin said no to British Cycling and even changed nationality to forge his own path, reinventing himself several times along the way to win two monuments and stages in all three grand tours. He’s had an interesting column over the years with Pro Cycling magazine and recent media appearances, like The Cycling Podcast, are always worth listening. So a whole book is promising… Not many other sports would the general public (other than the kid’s direct age group elite squad) get to do that… Even though I think I can safely say that I’ve got a rational mind, I ended up developing an almost mystical rapport with the bike. I accepted that invisible forces were moving against us, with us, around us. As a consequence, I’ve often found that crashes don’t occur completely by chance, you’re actually drawn towards them. The whole race looks interesting,' Hindley added. 'The organisers have put a lot of work in and made a fantastic route.' The 26-year-old may still opt for a debut run at the Tour de France, but an increase in time trials could tempt other heavyweights to take part. According to Chased by Pandas, Martin never saw doping, he was never offered drugs. He was even reluctant to take medicines for his allergies – which used to ruin his form in Spring – for fear of the side effects. As for dealing with pain, “I would take a paracetamol to help mask the fatigue and dull ache that three weeks of brutal racing inflicts on your body, but I then found out it was more of a placebo. I preferred to be in touch with my body’s messaging, to feel where my limit was, so that I could more accurately balance on the tightrope that is the upper regions of performance.”

Chased By Pandas: My life in the mysterious world of cycling Chased By Pandas: My life in the mysterious world of cycling

The opening chapter is about the fear of crashing and reprises Martin’s wipe-out on the final bend of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, he’d given his rivals the slip and was just about to overhaul Giampaulo Caruso only to slide out in sight of the finish line. Here Martin reveals a mystical side:

This is Dan Martin’s long-awaited autobiography, full of ‘the warmth, sharp insights and vivid colour of his 14-year career’ (Guardian) Chased by Pandas] is not a conventional study of wins, losses and conquering mountains but overcoming the mental challenges of a sport into which he was seemingly born’ – The Times Featuring jerseys, bib shorts and caps, the range is available in both colour and monochrome. There’s even Amado’s signature flower on the sleeve with a smiley face. 🙂 If you're coming to Coles by car, why not take advantage of the 2 hours free parking at Sainsbury's Pioneer Square - just follow the signs for Pioneer Square as you drive into Bicester and park in the multi-storey car park above the supermarket. Come down the travelators, exit Sainsbury's, turn right and follow the pedestrianised walkway to Crown Walk and turn right - and Coles will be right in front of you. You don't need to shop in Sainsbury's to get the free parking! Where to Find Us This is the celebration of a true cyclist’s career, which will appeal to anyone who’s embraced the weekend ride whilst dreaming of the mountains.

Chased by Pandas, My life in the mysterious world of cycling Chased by Pandas, My life in the mysterious world of cycling

Chased by Pandas] is not a conventional study of wins, losses and conquering mountains but overcoming the mental challenges of a sport into which he was seemingly born' The Times the most rational hypothesis was that there was an oily residue on the road at that point and the dampness in the air had made it slippery. The irrational hypothesis was that it was down to fate. This explanation was both comforting and unsatisfactory, but I liked it. It was written that I would win in 2013 and lose in 2014… Chased by Pandas] is not a conventional study of wins, losses and conquering mountains but overcoming the mental challenges of a sport into which he was seemingly born’ The Times That’s something I can understand, and I feel like too many cycling books I’ve read seem to centre on the themes of either suffering or doping.This is Dan Martin’s long-awaited autobiography, full of ‘the warmth, sharp insights and vivid colour of his 14-year career’ Guardian