Ebury to publish Boardman autobiography

Ebury Publishing is to bring an autobiography on cycling star Chris Boardman to market next year having acquired the rights from the author.

Set for release in June 2014, the rights were secured by deputy publisher at Ebury Publishing Andrew Goodfellow, who said of the planned new title: "Chris is fantastic bloke and one of the most fascinating and inspiring people in the sport. The missing link between Tom Simpson and Bradley Wiggins, Chris’s amazing story is the story of British cycling itself, from lone amateurism to high performance world beaters."

Having been a force to be reckoned with on the track through the 80s and 90s, Boardman scooped Olympic track gold, the world hour record and repeatedly claimed the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. For those unfamiliar with the sportsman’s story, Chris is also the name behind the Boardman Bikes empire, one of the top-selling premium bike labels in the UK.

As Boardman’s career on the bike ended, a new chapter began as the backroom genius behind GB cycling. As head of the R&D team, known as The Secret Squirrel Club, he has since been responsible for the technical innovations that may have made the difference in 2012.

Boardman said of the autobiography: "I am a great fan of looking forward, only digging into the past to find lessons that might inform what comes next, so it was a big decision to decide to write this book. In working with Ebury and writing this account, I’ve found out new things about myself and enjoyed reflecting on old friends and special moments, so I hope you’ll enjoy it, from my perspective, it’s been quite a ride."