THE history, the heroes, the drugs scandals and the media coverage of the world's greatest cycling race, the Tour de France, are scrutinised in a forthcoming book by two North-East academics.
Tour de France, 1903-2003: A Century of Sporting Structures, Meanings and Values, edited by Dr Geoff Hare and Dr Hugh Dauncey, of Newcastle University's School of Modern Languages, attempts to explain why the Tour de France has become such a symbolic, important event for its host country and the rest of the world since its inception in 1903.
It is being released to coincide with the race's 100th anniversary in July.
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