"Dave Shields brings the Tour alive in this exciting novel."
"Entertaining and inspirational. I couldn't put it down!"
- George Hincapie, Tour de France yellow jersey wearer, stage winner, and the only man to ride with Lance Armstrong in all seven of his Tour de France victories - Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
"Reads easily as excitement builds. I was impressed."
"Better than a VIP pass, personalized 'musette' bag, and live TV all rolled into one!" - Craig Hummer, Versus Television broadcaster
"The underlying message of how one's attitude shapes one's reality made me wonder what attitudes I have that are holding me back from my peak ability levels." - Aron Ralston, New York Times bestselling author of Between a Rock and a Hard Place
"Good crisp writing. The bike races are breathtaking,
and the plot zips along. A hard book to put down. Very well done."
"Best Sports Novel of the Year."
"Reads like the story of my life."
- Levi Leipheimer, Winner - 2007 Tour of California
"Reading this book was so much like the experience I had when I was racing. Every young cyclist should read it. The Race is going to teach them about what they will go through. You have to believe in yourself!"
- Alex Stedia, the first North American ever to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France
"Without question, this is one of the best books I have ever read."
"As we find the sun setting earlier and earlier and the end of our summer riding season some of you might find yourself looking for some other way to get that "cycling fix" that we have come to rely on from week to week. These books are your answer." - Longview Bicycle Club
"In reading this book, I found myself emotionally involved. I found my heart racing with excitement and my throat constricted with emotion."
"The reader will race all the way through this book to its exciting conclusion. This book can be enjoyed by both adults and young adults. I would recommend it to the teenage male who doesn’t like to read: The Race might change his mind."
"If it has wheels and spokes, Dave Shields is the guy to talk to."
"The Race pulls any reader along with a sense of anticipation as to what will happen next. A great read."
"I have a big problem with this book. It's impossible to put down. Dave Shields owes me a night's sleep."
"One day someone will be on the podium of a Grand Tour and think back on how their career ever started; the answer will be, I fell in love with cycling after reading The Race."
- Marty Jemison, U.S. Pro Cycling Champion and one of only twenty-one Americans ever to finish the Tour de France. Read Marty's full review at Cycling Utah (click on the link to the left then scroll down to page 12).
"For those who haven't yet seen Le Tour up close, or are looking to whet their appetite, The Race is a perfect complement for this year's rendition."
"...the kind of read where everything else in your life has to get out of the way – work, family, sleep – to make room for you to read it. Every cyclist should buy this book -- and one as a gift to a non-cyclist friend."
“Writer Dave Shields, long-time endurance athlete, guides the reader through the complex and speedy world of professional cycling, in a thrilling novel which takes in the whole of France-from the saddle.”
"This book was all too real. I feel like I just completed another Tour de France."
"The Race is the ultimate novel on professional bike racing... The author is a master of description. The physical and emotional trials of these ultra-athletes come alive with a feeling of total realism. His characters are powerful and the emotions are raw... We rated this gripping book five hearts."
- Heartland Reviews
"This story is about so much more than a race. It is about life and finding the keys to overcome self-doubt and uncertainty. At every turn it entertains, enlightens, and inspires. I rank The Race among the greatest novels I've ever read."
"It ruined my weekend! I simply could not put it down. The story was pacey, exciting and interesting and perhaps the most fun aspect was that it wasn’t about spies, gung-ho tort lawyers or abstract characters."
"While the story revolves around cycling and the rich dynamics of the Tour, the underlying message is the same battle we all face when we look in the mirror. Staring down our own personal demons, and learning to push them aside--that is the pearl in this oyster. Put your passion where your mouth is--read this book!"
- Dirt Rag Magazine
"... riveting action from the first sentence. You won't need any cycling knowledge to find it a good read, tough to put down."
"What an incredible story, and what an amazing world it revealed to me! I'll never look at cyclists in the same way again."
- Kate Johnson, author of Closed Doors
"Dave Shields has vividly captured the pain and pleasure that is the professional peloton....a perfect read for someone new to the sport."
"...(the descriptions) can be breathtaking and simultaneously instructive to the novice. Readers familiar with the problem of making it to work on time if they turn on the television coverage of a stage of the Tour in the morning will recognize this sensation. This book will make readers ignore all other tasks until the race, or perhaps the book, has drawn to a close."
"A great book. An accurate depiction of how the sport is."
- Craig Lewis, 2006 U-23 Time-Trial and Road Race Champion
The Race has been mentioned in Publishers Weekly here, Publishers Marketplace here, and in Library Journal here. We're still outsiders in the publishing establishment, but we're obviously making progress.
The Race has been selected for use in a class, FRE 3412 Special Topics: Le Tour de France, being offered by Villanova University.
