Road to Valor: A True Story of WWII Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

I have never heard of Gino Bartali until I read this book. What I found more fascinating then Gino was about the Tour de France and the job he had as a bike messenger during the war to help the Jews. Gino was alright but at times his competitive nature overshadowed him and made him have a bit of a bad attitude. Not that I am saying that competition is a bad thing as I can get really competitive when it comes to certain things but there is a line to draw and you have to know when to turn it off at times. Of course, if it was not for Gino's never give up attitude then he would not have won the Tour de France twice and been an icon in the cycling world.


Learning how the Tour de France got its start was cool, especially learning where the idea of the leader wearing the color yellow came from. I have never watched the race but after hearing what Gino had to go through as each stage got harder and harder is amazing. I do have to give big props to the winner. Gino's time as a bike messenger during the war was interesting, although I would have liked to get to know more about his role. I felt that this section of the book was hurried along and glossed over. I could tell however that Aili and Andres McConnon did their research. They introduced Gino, the person, icon, war bike messenger, father, and husband. Overall an interesting read.
 
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Comments

Mystica said…
I like the tour de france but I really enjoy the comments, and the scenery which is fabulous. This book sounds interesting. The period in which it is set is one that appeals to me.
July 16, 2012 at 10:56 PM
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