Balmamion - The Eagle of Canavese by Herbie Sykes

At first glance, Balmamion is the story of an Italian cyclist whose name will probably be unfamiliar to most, despite winning his home Grand Tour; in reality it provides a much deeper understanding of cycling in Italy at the time, and the environment in which it operated. It's a great story, written by an expert.

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I always enjoy Herbie Sykes' writing, but that title doesn't give you much indication of what to expect, or even why you might be interested in it. Upon further investigation I discovered it's an update of The Eagle of Canavase, which was lauded by many, including our own Dan Kenyon in his review of Sykes' Maglia Rosa. I wouldn't disagree with those accolades.

Originally published by Mousehold Press in 2008, the original is now out of print, but was one of those seminal books that passed me (and probably you) by at the time – happily, this new and improved version was worth the wait. Even if you didn't realise you were waiting...

This updated version has a new introduction from the author, and numerous new images which really enhance the presentation. The pictures are a mixture of race jerseys, black and white action shots, front pages from La Gazzetta dello Sport, race memorabilia, and more.

While nominally about Franco Balmamion's 1962 Giro d'Italia win, in typical Sykes style you get a lot more than a blow-by-blow account of the race – although you do get some of that as well.

Just as with Geoffrey Nicholson's The Great Bike Race and Richard Moore's Slaying the Badger, the 'social, cultural, and sporting landscape' of the race and its protagonists are an important part of the story. This book will interest more than followers of the Giro, or even of Balmamion.

Brilliantly, Sykes never intended to write this book – believing (wrongly) that he had 'neither the time nor the talent' – and only pitched it as a cover for his effort to blag one of the man's jerseys! Instead it became the first of several highly-regarded books about cycling.

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Sykes addresses Balmamion's curious 'continued anonymity', despite his two wins at the Giro. It seems there are many factors, but a large part of it was by choice, as 'the idea that his career might bestow on him some degree of celebrity' would be 'embarrassing, unfathomable, distasteful even.' There's something you don't hear every day.

No matter how good this book is (and it is very good indeed), I fear the subject matter is always going to limit its appeal. Nevertheless, I'm sure many people would enjoy this book, if only they knew it existed, and how interesting it is. So now you know!

Verdict

Welcome reprint and upgrade for a timeless classic