Terry Davenport is a cyclist past his prime. Personally, he has affection for his girlfriend, but that doesn’t stop him from having affairs with her daughter and (at least one of) her younger customers. He’s a wily road racer. Professionally, his wits keep him competitive against racers of greater skill. Still, his last days are in sight. A genteel retirement with his girlfriend, a prosperous shopkeeper, is his likely future—and he’s not exactly thrilled about it. He doesn’t dislike the prospect, but he can easily imagine greener pastures.

Terry has been delegated to train Romain, his team’s talented but timid climbing specialist. Romain can fly up hills, but lacks the savvy and perhaps the drive to survive and win shoulder-to-shoulder sprints where cycling becomes something of a contact sport.

The story leads, inevitably given the book’s title, to Le Tour and Terry’s last shot at a big race. He’s in the race primarily to protect Romain, but soon the chance to make his own run at the yellow jersey is too good to pass by.

Hurne’s cycling narratives are exciting, probably the highlight of the book. It would probably help the reader to have some knowledge of road racing, but I suspect it’s not necessary to enjoy the book.

In reality, however, this is a coming-of-middle-age story, Terry’s struggle to facing the impending end of his youth. He’s an athlete and a womanizer, and he’s staring at a future where neither of those identities will be his.