This was a great read, especially in light of Lance's admission (I refuse to call a self serving acknowledgement of doping a confession). I wonder how I would have felt reading this book before the Oprah interview, but now it carries such an authoritative weight that you cannot help believe Hamilton's perspective. Similarly, I kept finding myself reading Hamilton as a sympathetic character who was swept into this race, and Lance as this brute. But then you have to wonder a) what young riders was Hamilton responsible for sweeping into the same pattern of behavior and 2) what the culture was like prior to Lance. Lance seems more like the paramount example of what happens when all these factors converge.
One interesting thing is how cycling is one of the most competitive team sports that requires tight teamwork, but also requires a huge sense of individual ego. You ride ultimately for yourself but it requires a huge team to get you to that end.
Random note...all week I have felt guilty as though I have been doping and part of this secret racing society (empathy: sign of a good read)
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