We Might as Well Win: On the Road to Success with the Mastermind Behind a Record-setting Eight Tour De France Victories

Johan Bruyneel knows what it takes to win. In 1998, this astute former pro cyclist looked a struggling rider and cancer survivor in the eye and said, 'If we're going to ride the Tour, we might as well win'. What followed was extraordinary. With Bruyneel as his team director, Lance Armstrong seized a record seven straight Tour de France victories. Meanwhile, Bruyneel brought innovation to the sport of cycling and went on to prove he could win without his superstar. In 2007, he took the Tour de France title with a young new team and a lot of nerve, securing his place in sports history. This is the first time the man closest to Armstrong has unveiled his secrets of motivation, planning and execution. He reveals the many ways that he and Armstrong outsmarted their opponents through intense preparation and training, as well as bluff on occasions. Whether mounting a difficult climb, managing a team of 30 riders and 40 support staff from a car hurtling along narrow European roads or looking a future legend in the eye and willing him to believe, Bruyneel is, and has always been, the consummate winner. This is his story.

Author Biography

Johan Bruyneel is a former professional cyclist and was the team director from 1999 to 2007 for the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team, which later became the Discovery Channel team. He is now the general manager of the Astana Cycling Team, with whom Lance Armstrong will make his professional cycling comeback in 2009. Bill Strickland is the executive editor of Bicycling, the world's leading cycling magazine, and he has ridden and written about cycling for 20 years.