Le Métier

I really am just going through the press releases I've got recently and am posting them.

TL;DR: A new glossy book about cycling with nice photos has been published. It's a hard back, it's by the guys who do Rouleur magazine.

Le Metier: The Seasons of a Professional Cyclist: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Barry, Camille McMillan: Books

Michael Barry and Camille J McMillan’s superb new book is set for release on 29th April
Following the news of the greatly anticipated release of Le Métier, online press, social media and TV have been excited by the prospect of this new publication. Twitter has been a primary source of excitement through the @Rouleurbooks page, with such riders as Christian Vande Velde and George Hincapie amongst the book's advocates. Christian is also a contributor and wrote on his Twitter page, “I had the privilege of writing the foreword. A great read about the day in the life of a pro.”

Some excellent coverage across cycling online and print media has ensued, with prospective interviews and profiling on national TV and radio now emerging. Swedish tv station SVT have also produced a documentary, as part of their Kobra programme, that profiles Camille and his work on Le Métier and Rouleur magazine - depicting his life and thoughts on photography, and his love of the world of pro cycling.

The hugely popular Team Sky website has also been instrumental in Le Métier gaining traction with Michael’s followers. The site is currently running a free-to-enter competition, whereby fans can enter a draw to gain a free copy of the book, simply by going online and entering a few details.

The book will be officially launched next Thursday (29 April) with pre-sale orders now being taken at the Rouleur shop: www.rouleur.cc/le-metier.

ENDS
Notes to editors:

Le Métier is an honest and sometimes touching look into the life, the trials and the tribulations as well as the triumphs, of a cycling domestique. As a professional cyclist Barry has lived the dream that many an aspiring racer covets - worldwide travel in the heady atmosphere of professional bike racing and all that it brings. Michael is also a pro-cycling rarity in that he has an immense talent for writing and it is the coupling of these two aspects of his life that are now captivating readers of his books and print and online columns.

His poignant prose, which has also been featured in the New York Times, along with Camille's atmospheric photography create a volume that gives the reader a rare glance into the fascinating and occasionally strange world of professional cycling.

Such writing and emotion can be felt through many of the book’s passages:

"In the middle of the peloton, there is a surge in speed. With it the riders move into a long single line and each one of us jumps out of the saddle to accelerate. The increase in pain is uniform throughout the bunch. Each rider feels a burn in his legs. Our expressions twist into grimaces as our bodies tense with the stress of the effort. To attain the level of fitness to achieve abnormal physical heights, each rider has committed his life to the races. The spectators and the television audience who watch us from a distance cannot see the professional cyclist’s suffering and sacrifice."
The writing and stunning photography in Le Métier come in equally compelling measures over 204 pages, and there will be an extremely collectable limited edition of the book, signed by both authors and numbered, with exclusive box, wibalin cover and unique screen print.

Le Métier will be released on the 29th April, 2010. The hardback edition will cost £35.

Publisher: Rouleur Ltd
ISBN: TBA
Publication date: 29th April 2010
204 pages / hardback

Rouleur is a bi-monthly cycling magazine. It brings together leading cycling writers and photographers to convey the essence and imagery of road racing. Rouleur features photography and serious writing that celebrate the passion and beauty of the sport. In three years it has built a passionate and valuable readership among the most influential bike riders in the world.

Michael Barry is a Canadian professional road-racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team Team Sky. Previous to this, he spent several years with the Discovery Channel. He also raced on the Saturn Cycling Team for a number of years before going to US Postal Service/Discovery. He was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Michael has been a professional since 1998.

http://svtplay.se/v/1970663/kobra/del_6_av_11__kommer_cykeln_att_konkurrera_ut_bilen_?cb,a1364145,1,f,-1/pb,a1364142,1,f,-1/pl,v,,1980457/sb,p102859,1,f,-1

Swedish tv did a piece on it, kudos to Pifko for finding it & posting link in another thread.

Looks a rather nice book.