This is the story of Luis Ocana, the champion cyclist
whose entire career constantly veered between heroism
and tragedy, always missing out the middle way. Born
into abject poverty during Spain's 'years of hunger' and
brought up in France, throughout his adult life he
suffered from the effects of his childhood malnutrition
and the perpetual question of self-identity - the common
lot of the exile - Spanish or French, or neither one nor
the other? Enigmatic and contradictory, Ocana was driven
by a fierce pride, and an all-or-nothing scorn for
caution and careful calculation which made him one of
the most dramatically exciting riders ever.This is a
biography that has been a long time in the making.
Carlos Arribas, cycling correspondent of the newspaper
El Pais, and Spain's foremost cycling author, has spent
years compiling the material and admits that, even as a
child, he was affected by Ocana's repeated
misfortunes.What he has written is more than a
conventional biography. He defines it as a
'fictionalised life story', or a 'biographical novel'.
All the duly documented facts are there, but to that
solid skeleton has been added the flesh and blood of
imagined (but totally plausible) conversations, meetings
and encounters. These are not mere decoration; they
serve perfectly to recreate the emotions and
recollections of those who knew him, encountered him,
loved him, or coped with him. It also provides a
compelling entry into exploring the complex personality
of Ocana himself.''If I was going to write one story
about cycling it would have to be that of Ocana. He was
the cyclist who made us fall in love with cycling, who
made us sense the truth of this sport: love, happiness
and tragedy.'' Carlos Arribas |
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