With a comb in his pocket, his glamorous blonde wife by his side, and an unyielding will backed by blazing speed, Jacques Anquetil became cycling's leading ambassador as the sport left behind the post-war era of Fausto Coppi to embrace the promise of the freewheeling sixties. ushers us into the zenith of Anquetil's career with a fully restored collection of rare and valuable photographs. With the methodical son of Normandy in the lead, cycling's professional peloton races through Europe's capital cities and up its mountainous pathways, laying a path to a cosmopolitan era of unlimited possibilities. Presenting more than 100 brilliant imagesmost unseen since their original publication in the magazines and newspapers of the day showcases the rise of a generation of cycling superstars whose gutsy riding and easy style founded the modern era of professional bike racing. Great names in these pages include Rik van Looy, Tom Simpson, Raymond Poulidor, Jan Janssen, Miguel Poblet, Rudi Altig, Federico Bahamontes, Jean Stablinski, Gastone Nencini, Jean Graczyk, and many more. With an appendix of explanatory notes for each photo, a sewn, lay-flat binding, and premium acid-free paper, will be an enduring addition to every cycling enthusiast's library.