In Search of Robert Millar



limerickman

Well-Known Member
Jan 5, 2004
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I bought Richard Moores book In Search of Robert Millar and I would thoroughly recommend it, as a very good read.
ISBN-10: 0007235011
ISBN-13: 978-0007235018

If you were following the sport during the 1980's you'd be aware of just how good a cyclist RM was.

Moores book is excellent on detail - especially RM's early career in Scotland.
The book also offers a great insight in to just how tough the sport at the highest level, really is.
It details the sacrifices, both physical and emotional, which a rider like RM had to go through to get to the topm of the sport.

One great quote from RM in the book is "the TDF is so tough. I didn't recover from it until November" !

The book offers a very balanced critique of RM - both the man and rider.
 
Agree with you on that, an excellent piece by a very good writer. RM was a rare talent and one of the best ever British cyclists. Rarer still, he clearly didn't - and still doesn't - give a damn what anyone thinks of him; he is his own man and doesn't care to endorse or refute whatever the media decides to print.

Can you imagine the law suits that would be flying about today if any top rider was being accused of having had a sex change? In Spain the cycling world just assumes he is now a woman - perhaps it was the pontytail and the ear rings.
 
I agree with the point that RM is the best British GT rider ever.

It is a shame that, for whatever reason, his experience and expertise isn't used by the British Cycling Fed (or whatever it is now called).
 
limerickman said:
I agree with the point that RM is the best British GT rider ever.

It is a shame that, for whatever reason, his experience and expertise isn't used by the British Cycling Fed (or whatever it is now called).
That's because he was useless when they used him for a year.
 
classic1 said:
That's because he was useless when they used him for a year.

Moore's book hinted at the fact that there was some fallout between RM and the Fed (Peter Keen, in particular).

I suppose it's like the assumption that a great footballer should automatically be a great team manager.
It doesn't happen in many cases.
 
limerickman said:
Moore's book hinted at the fact that there was some fallout between RM and the Fed (Peter Keen, in particular).

I suppose it's like the assumption that a great footballer should automatically be a great team manager.
It doesn't happen in many cases.
He was an astonishing talent. Can you imagine how much more he might have won had he enjoyed the backing today's young hopefuls get from British Cycling?
 
Rolfrae said:
He was an astonishing talent. Can you imagine how much more he might have won had he enjoyed the backing today's young hopefuls get from British Cycling?


Exactly.

Not taking away from the likes of Cavendish and Wiggins - but I could not picture these guys having to make their own way to Paris to start their professional careers.

Different era I suppose.
 
Funny you mention this Lim, I just finished it the other week. Incredibly enthralling tale of his ascent from grim Glasgow to the top tier of European cycling. The exchange of e-mails at the end of the book are incredibly exciting. It is a shame that he fails to track him down but you empathise with Millar wishing to live an incognito life.

I've moved on to Roule Britannia by William Fotheringham. Nice to learn about guys like Brian Robinson. Sounds like a very classy bike rider yet remained in this odd situation regarding Brits racing in France.
 
El Loto said:
Funny you mention this Lim, I just finished it the other week. Incredibly enthralling tale of his ascent from grim Glasgow to the top tier of European cycling. The exchange of e-mails at the end of the book are incredibly exciting. It is a shame that he fails to track him down but you empathise with Millar wishing to live an incognito life.
.

Any info on his cross-dressing and penchant only eating a bag of nuts for a mountain stage ?
 
El Loto said:
Funny you mention this Lim, I just finished it the other week. Incredibly enthralling tale of his ascent from grim Glasgow to the top tier of European cycling. The exchange of e-mails at the end of the book are incredibly exciting. It is a shame that he fails to track him down but you empathise with Millar wishing to live an incognito life.

I've moved on to Roule Britannia by William Fotheringham. Nice to learn about guys like Brian Robinson. Sounds like a very classy bike rider yet remained in this odd situation regarding Brits racing in France.

The entire book was superb - I was really interested to read about his amateur career in Scotland because I followed closely RM's professional career.
The book mentions the fact that RM did try to help several Scottish cyclists such as Graeme Obree, which is positive stuff.
For a relatively small country, you've produced your fair share of world class cyclists!

Thanks for the recommendation for the Fotheringham book.
 
limerickman said:
The entire book was superb - I was really interested to read about his amateur career in Scotland because I followed closely RM's professional career.
The book mentions the fact that RM did try to help several Scottish cyclists such as Graeme Obree, which is positive stuff.
For a relatively small country, you've produced your fair share of world class cyclists!

Thanks for the recommendation for the Fotheringham book.
Years ago the guys at my local club told of me the day Millar joined them on a club run. When they were grovelling into the headwind Millar shifted up into his big ring and still pedalled smoothly. When they turned into the tailwind he dropped down into his small ring, still pedalling smoothly and efficiently, showing no signs of effort. The general feeling I got was that they thought he was arrogant, but I took that as jealousy. I'm hope if he came along now us Scots would treat him with reverence and respect.
That's the only story I ever heard of him when I was growing up, what little else I knew came from Bicycle Action magazine or Channel 4's Tour highlights. Seems he was and still is an enigma.
 

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