Boy Racer unmasks the manic, brutal world of professional cycling from the candid viewpoint of the sport's brash young superstar, Mark Cavendish.

Written off as fat and useless in his youth, Cavendish's hunger for success and his sheer natural ability has forged him into one of cycling's youngest phenoms - and one of its most accomplished sprinters.

Some have called him cocky, but to those who dislike his style, Cav will shrug his shoulders and reply, "I know I'm good. There's no point lying about it." Cav's fearlessness in the saddle and on the record has earned him controversy and the respect of his competitors and fans.

Boy Racer brings readers into Cav's head as he sprints into cycling's canon of larger-than-life riders.

Paperback Color photo section. 6" x 9", 240 pages.

"Boy Racer is an emotional, fast-paced and direct account of Cav’s transformation from awkward chubby teenager to world champion and Tour stage winner." — VeloNews magazine

“Boy Racer is without doubt an entertaining read. It feels as though Cavendish is talking directly to you, and he is, as you would expect, brutally honest. Boy Racer then goes at least some way in giving us an insight into the psyche of Cavendish and as a result makes fascinating pre-Tour reading.” — DailyPeloton.com

“Boy Racer is a fascinating ride to the top of professional cycling from humble beginnings. The book totally changed my perspective on Cavendish, and will do the same (for better or for worse) for any cycling fan that sits down and gives Boy Racer a chance. Cavendish’s true personality shines through every one of the 352 pages.” — BikeRumor.com

“This is straight from the gut writing…showing a candid view of life in the peloton that most of us never get to see. Love him or hate him, if you’re a fan of cycling, Boy Racer will give honest insight into the politics of the peloton.” — BikeWorldNews.com

“I have read a large number of sporting autobiographies in my time; some very good, many distinctly mediocre. This might just be the best one I have ever read. The book reads in much the same way the man himself conducts himself in interviews: He shoots from the hip with his heart on his sleeve, occasionally inserting foot in mouth. But anyone who has ever seen Cav speak would expect no less; in a PC, PR-conscious world, here is a sportsman who is as brutally honest as he is fast. At times it is painfully obvious who he does and does not respect in the cycling world, and yet he is surprisingly self-critical, self-effacing, and not afraid to admit when he has been proven wrong about someone. The book is full of little insights into the mindset of a master practitioner and behind-the-scenes revelations of what it is like to be a professional road cyclist, which make this a cut above the average sporting autobiography. Add this to the fleshing out of a personality far more complex, meticulous, and magnanimous (to his team) than the one-dimensional cocky narcissist sometimes portrayed in the media, and what you have here is a compelling tale that had me tearing through the pages much like the man himself does when he has the sniff of the finish line in his nostrils. Boy Racer was unputdownable. I’ll be first in line to buy the next chapter of the story of this incredible young man.” — sportingreflections.blogspot.com

About the author:
Born and raised on the Isle of Man, Mark Cavendish became a world track champion as a teenager in 2005, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist a year later, and in 2008 regained his world title on the track with British teammate Bradley Wiggins. After switching his focus to the more glamorous world of road cycling, Cavendish set a new record of four stage wins in the 2008 Tour de France, and won the prestigious Milan-San Remo one-day classic in 2009. Widely regarded as the most exciting and charismatic young rider to grace the sport in years, Cavendish rides for the American cycling team HTC-Columbia and will be the most closely watched sprinter in the pro peloton in 2010.