Two weeks remaining in Sweetspot’s poll to find the inaugural winner of the Cycling Book of the Year Award, with twelve top cycling titles from 2013 shortlisted in the public vote.
![]() |
SweetSpot, organisers of The Tour of Britain and creators of The Pearl Izumi Tour Series, have launched a new annual poll, with over 700 people having already voted for their choice.
Twelve books are shortlisted, including the latest title from ITV4’s presenter of Tour of Britain and Pearl Izumi Tour Series coverage Ned Boulting, and autobiographies of Charlie Wegelius, Rob Hayles, Sean Kelly and Sean Yates.
Daniel Friebe and Pete Goding’s second volume of cycling climbs, Mountain Higher, and Collins’ history of the Tour de France through maps, Mapping Le Tour, both feature as coffee-table style publications.
Two anthologies also make the list, the first a collection of William Fotheringham’s writing for The Guardian over the past 20-years, the latter the second volume of the Cycling Anthology project of Lionel Birnie and Ellis Bacon, which collects together essays from a number of renown cycling writers.
Rounding out the selection are Project Rainbow, in which Rod Ellingworth tells the story of the road to Mark Cavendish’s World Championship success, Tim Lewis’ book on the rise of Rwanda’s cycling team and Edward Pickering’s tale of the 1990’s battle for the hour record between Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree.
“We are delighted at the response to our new Cycling Book of the Year Award and hope that it is something that can grow in stature in future years,†said SweetSpot Commercial Director Alastair Grant.
“The Award recognises the first-class range of cycling titles written annually and provides SweetSpot Group with a chance to give something back to the many journalists, writers and photographers who have offered us so much support over the years.â€
Everyone who votes in the SweetSpot Cycling Book of the Year Award goes into a draw to win copies of all 12 shortlisted titles, with the voting closing on Friday 20th December.
The winning book will be announced in the New Year, with the author receiving the first ever SweetSpot Cycling Book of the Year trophy, and prizes from Tour partners, including a Festina watch and a magnum of Heidsieck Monopole champagne.
For more details, and to vote, please visit www.thetour.co.uk/bookaward
2013 SweetSpot Cycling Book of the Year shortlist
• On the Road Bike: The Search For a Nation’s Cycling Soul. Ned Boulting. Yellow Jersey.
• Racing Hard, 20 Tumultuous Years in Cycling. William Fotheringham. Faber and Faber.
• Cycling Anthology II, Tour de France centenary edition. Lionel Birnie and Ellis Bacon. Peloton Publishing.
• Easy Rider: My Life on a Bike. Rob Hayles. Bantam Press.
• Domestique. The True life Ups and Downs of a Tour Pro. Charlie Wegelius. Ebury Press.
• Hunger. Sean Kelly. Peloton Publishing.
• Mountain Higher: Europe’s Extreme, Undiscovered and Unforgettable Cycling Climbs. Daniel Friebe and Pete Goding. Quercus.
• Sean Yates: It’s All About the Bike. Sean Yates. Bantam Press.
• The Race Against Time: Obree, Boardman and the Quest to be the Fastest Man on Two Wheels. Edward Pickering. Bantam Press.
• Project Rainbow: How British Cycling Reached the Top of the World. Rod Ellingworth. Faber and Faber.
• Mapping Le Tour de France. Ellis Bacon. Collins.
• Land of Second Chances: The Impossible Rise of Rwanda’s Cycling Team. Tim Lewis. Yellow Jersey.
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- TT Result: RTTC National Women’s & Junior 10 Mile Championship
- Mid Shropshire Wheelers Friday Night Cyclo-Cross
- Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series 24
- Result: Cambridge Criterium
- Result: Lothian Flyer Road Race
- Result: PNE Mountbatten Circuit Series #10
- Men’s Tour of Britain Provisional Start List
- Result: On Yer Bike Crit Series #10
- Result: King&Queen of the Bowl Crit Series #16
- Tour of Britain News: GB Team for Race
- Result: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League
- Report: Victor Berlemont Trophy Road Race
- TT Result: AURCC Drumoak Ten
- TT Result: Cleveland Coureurs Teesside District 25 mile Championship
- TT Result: Robin’s Sporting Weekend Part 1
- TT Result: Verulam Open 25
- TT Result: ECCA 10
- TLI Cycling TT Result: City Cycle Couriers RT 10m TT
- TT Result: North Shropshire Wheelers 25
- TT Result: Fast Fifteen
- TT Result: Vector Racing 10 Mile TT
- Result: Victor Berlemont Trophy Road Race
- Result: Great Limber Grand Prix
- Result: North West Youth Tour Overall Standings
- Result: North West Youth Tour Stage 3
- TT Result: Border City Whs CC 10
- HC Result: Kildale Hill Climb
- TT Result: Velo Club Bristol 10
- Result: Velo Bavarian Crit League 8
- Result: North West Youth Tour (Stage 2)
- Result: Stage 1 North West Youth Tour
- Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits
- RESULT: North West Circuit Champs
- Shrewsbury Friday Night Cross 4
- FEATURE: The Pedal Club Lunch (August)
- TT Result: North Tyneside Riders CC
- TT Result: SVTTA 30 Pinky Williams Trophy
- TT Result: Royal Dean Forest Cycle Club 25
- TT Result: VC Baracchi 50
- TT Result: West Cheshire TTCA 25
Other News on VeloUK
- Men’s Tour of Britain Provisional Start List
- Tour of Britain News: GB Team for Race
- FEATURE: The Pedal Club Lunch (August)
- Winners! Ribble Outliers Latvian Triple!
- GB FOR JUNIOR TRACK WORLD CHAMPS
- Beaumont Trophy/Curlew Cup 2025
- STAGE ROUTES ANNOUNCED FOR MEN’S TOUR OF BRITAIN
- TOUR OF BRITAIN NEWS – THE TEAMS
- Startlist: RTTC National 25 Mile Championship
- Ribble Cycles CGR – Commute, Gravel, Road range
- Tour of Britain News: 2 Days in Wales
- News: The Pedal Club Lunch (July)
- STARTLIST: National Youth Circuit Series (Wyke)
- Men’s Tour of Britain Route Update
- GB Team for Track Euros
- Opening of Sir Mark Cavendish Raceway
- Bike News: Ribble Cycles Alloy Bikes
- This Weekend: Junior Road Championships
- Wednesday: Otley Cycle Races
- Mid Shropshire Wheelers celebrates 100 Years of Cycling
- Team Feature: Prologue Junior Racing Team Spring Review
- New: Ribble Cycles Ultra-Grit & Allgrit Ranges
- START LISTS FOR BRITISH ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- STARTLIST: Two day Giant Tugby Ronde van Wymeswold
- NEWS: MAJOR JUNIOR TEAMS TO MERGE FOR 2026
- Entries Wanted: Ilkley Town Centre Races
- Report/Result: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage 2
- Report: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage 1
- STARTLIST: Owen Blower Memorial Road Races
- Events: Halesowen Academy Road Race
- News: May Pedal Club Lunch
- RIBBLE PARTNERS WITH THE BIKE FITTERS
- Monday: Witham Wheelers Road Races
- British Stars for Women’s Tour of Britain
- Women’s Tour of Britain Riders 2025
- BIKES: RIBBLE UNVEILS ULTRA-RACE
- Women’s Tour of Britain Routes
- STARTLISTS: 2025 Lincoln Grand Prix
- STARTLIST: The Witham Hall Grand Prix
- Startlist: Timmy James Memorial Grand Prix