God is Dead
The Rise and Fall of Frank Vandenbroucke, Cycling's Greatest Wasted Talent
By Andy McGrath | Publisher: Transworld
About the book
•SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD•
•A SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TIMES AND THE GUARDIAN•
The remarkable untold story of the mercurial cycling prodigy Frank Vandenbroucke, written by William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath.
They called him God. For his grace on a bicycle, for his divine talent, for his heavenly looks. Frank Vandenbroucke had it all, and in the late Nineties he raced with dazzling speed and lived even faster.
The Belgian won several of cycling's most illustrious races, including Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Nice and Ghent-Wevelgem. He was a mix of poise and panache who enthralled a generation of cycling fans. Off the bike, he only had one enemy - himself.
Vandenbroucke dabbled in nocturnal party sessions mixing sleeping pills and alcohol and regularly fell out with team managers. By 1999 his team had suspended him and this proved to be the start of a long, eventful fall from grace. Depression, a drug ban, addiction, car crashes, divorce and countless court appearances subsumed his life. He threatened his wife with a gun. He tried to commit suicide twice. And when police found performance-enhancing drugs at his house, Vandenbroucke said they were for his dog.
It seemed he had finally learned from his mistakes. Then, on 12 October 2009, aged just 34, Vandenbroucke was found dead in a hotel room in Senegal.
Guided by exclusive contributions from his family, friends and team-mates, William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath lays bare Vandenbroucke's chaotic, complicated life and times. God is Dead is the remarkable biography of this mercurial cycling prodigy.
Editions of God is Dead
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781787631205
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780552176040
- EBook
- ISBN 9781473563377
Read an Excerpt
•SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD•
•A SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TIMES AND THE GUARDIAN•
The remarkable untold story of the mercurial cycling prodigy Frank Vandenbroucke, written by William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath.
They called him God. For his grace on a bicycle, for his divine talent, for his heavenly looks. Frank Vandenbroucke had it all, and in the late Nineties he raced with dazzling speed and lived even faster.
The Belgian won several of cycling's most illustrious races, including Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Nice and Ghent-Wevelgem. He was a mix of poise and panache who enthralled a generation of cycling fans. Off the bike, he only had one enemy - himself.
Vandenbroucke dabbled in nocturnal party sessions mixing sleeping pills and alcohol and regularly fell out with team managers. By 1999 his team had suspended him and this proved to be the start of a long, eventful fall from grace. Depression, a drug ban, addiction, car crashes, divorce and countless court appearances subsumed his life. He threatened his wife with a gun. He tried to commit suicide twice. And when police found performance-enhancing drugs at his house, Vandenbroucke said they were for his dog.
It seemed he had finally learned from his mistakes. Then, on 12 October 2009, aged just 34, Vandenbroucke was found dead in a hotel room in Senegal.
Guided by exclusive contributions from his family, friends and team-mates, William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath lays bare Vandenbroucke's chaotic, complicated life and times. God is Dead is the remarkable biography of this mercurial cycling prodigy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is God is Dead about?
•SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD•
•A SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TIMES AND THE GUARDIAN•
The remarkable untold story of the mercurial cycling prodigy Frank Vandenbroucke, written by William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath.
They called him God. For his grace on a bicycle, for his divine talent, for his heavenly looks. Frank Vandenbroucke had it all, and in the late Nineties he raced with dazzling speed and lived even faster.
The Belgian won several of cycling's most illustrious races, including Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Nice and Ghent-Wevelgem. He was a mix of poise and panache who enthralled a generation of cycling fans. Off the bike, he only had one enemy - himself.
Vandenbroucke dabbled in nocturnal party sessions mixing sleeping pills and alcohol and regularly fell out with team managers. By 1999 his team had suspended him and this proved to be the start of a long, eventful fall from grace. Depression, a drug ban, addiction, car crashes, divorce and countless court appearances subsumed his life. He threatened his wife with a gun. He tried to commit suicide twice. And when police found performance-enhancing drugs at his house, Vandenbroucke said they were for his dog.
It seemed he had finally learned from his mistakes. Then, on 12 October 2009, aged just 34, Vandenbroucke was found dead in a hotel room in Senegal.
Guided by exclusive contributions from his family, friends and team-mates, William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath lays bare Vandenbroucke's chaotic, complicated life and times. God is Dead is the remarkable biography of this mercurial cycling prodigy.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in God is Dead?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Biography: general > Biography: sport
Where can I read a sample of God is Dead?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781787631205
How long is God is Dead and how many pages does it have?
God is Dead has 304 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book God is Dead?
Andy McGrath
Who is the Publisher of the book God is Dead?
Transworld
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
God is Dead is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781787631205) and paperback(ISBN 9780552176040) and ebook(ISBN 9781473563377)
Where can I buy God is Dead online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy God is Dead from below
Where can I buy God is Dead?