The book provides a fascinating insight into the culture of doping in professional cycling, as told by a former maseur who was involved in the infamous Festina affair. It captures the extent of drug use in the sport and the challenges of eradicating it. The book is well-written and engaging, offering a unique perspective on the world of professional cycling.
The Gipper by Willy Voet offers a compelling look into the world of professional cycling and the pervasive issue of doping. Voet, a former maseur, shares his firsthand experiences and insights into the culture of drug use within the sport. The book is particularly notable for its detailed accounts of the Festina affair, which exposed the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs among cyclists. Voet's narrative is both sobering and eye-opening, providing a raw and unfiltered view of the pressures and temptations faced by athletes. The book is not just a recounting of events but also a commentary on the ethical and moral challenges within professional sports. It's a must-read for cycling fans and anyone interested in the broader issues of doping in sports. The writing is engaging and the stories are told with a level of detail that makes the book both informative and entertaining. However, some readers might find the book a bit anecdotal, feeling that it sometimes lacks a cohesive narrative structure. Overall, it's a valuable contribution to the literature on cycling and sports ethics.
Quick quotes
This book is one about drugs, more than about cycling. Voet manages to capture the culture of cheating, explaining many situations and a bunch of bad or good results.
It was clearly so commonplace to 'charge' that anyone who claimed ignorance of it was almost certainly lying.
It's a very short book, but significantly Voet manages to capture the culture of cheating, which helps answer how doping got (and has remained) so out of control in the sport.