Sofa Spotlight - Racing Through the Dark, David Millar

The cycling season is well underway now and I haven’t read a cycling book for a while. I read this when it first came out and I had just got into watching cycling. Obviously I started by watching the Tour de France, which of course I still do, and for three weeks of the year the only place I go is to the sofa in front of the TV. And if my housemates want to watch something else... hmm

Anyway I appreciated reading this book when I did because it helped to explain the world of cycling that I was trying to get my head round. Millar in this book, very much like his commentating now, doesn’t assume knowledge but explains concepts and jargon so that his reader can keep up.

However, this book isn’t about explaining the basics of cycle racing. It is a very honest account of how David Millar came to be a professional cyclist, and the challenges that he was confronted with in that world, particularly doping. If you’re wondering what all the fuss about Lance Armstrong was about or if you dismiss cycling as a sport riddled with dopers then I would highly recommend reading this book. It shows the events from an insider point of view and explains the culture in which they happened. And to cap it all it is an entertaining read as well. Both informative and enjoyable - what more could you want?