Fausto Coppi - Original Hipster?

Yes, I would. Albert Londres was a proper reporter for a newspaper that was a rival to L'Auto. He had written a series of reports on 'Devil's Island', a french penal colony, that scandalised France, and was a name in his own right.

The french title Les Forcats de la Route, doesn't really translate properly. Forcat (c sydilla) is a convict sentenced to penal servitude. 'Convicts of the Road' isn't quite right, either.

Anyway. It's a slim volume but gives a clear account of the savage nature of the Tour's early years. If you want to understand the sport, and its heritage, then it's far more important to read this book than, say, 'It's all about the bike' or anything else written in the last 20 years.

quite the review! went to check amazon, but it's not there...