Wheelmen Audiobook By Reed Albergotti, Vanessa O'Connell cover art

Wheelmen

Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Wheelmen

By: Reed Albergotti, Vanessa O'Connell
Narrated by: Santino Fontana
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.75

Buy for $15.75

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The first in-depth look at Lance Armstrong's doping scandal, the phenomenal business success built on the back of fraud, and the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports.

Lance Armstrong won a record-smashing seven Tours de France after staring down cancer, and in the process became an international symbol of resilience and courage. In a sport constantly dogged by blood-doping scandals, he seemed above the fray. Then, in January 2013, the legend imploded. He admitted doping during the Tours and, in an interview with Oprah, described his "mythic, perfect story" as "one big lie". But his admission raised more questions than it answered - because he didn't say who had helped him dope or how he skillfully avoided getting caught.

Wall Street Journal reporters Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell broke the news at every turn. In Wheelmen they reveal the broader story of how Armstrong and his supporters used money, power, and cutting-edge science to conquer the world's most difficult race. Wheelmen introduces U.S. Postal Service Team owner Thom Weisel, who in a brazen power play ousted USA Cycling's top leadership and gained control of the sport in the United States, ensuring Armstrong's dominance. Meanwhile, sponsors fought over contracts with Armstrong as the entire sport of cycling began to benefit from the "Lance effect". What had been a quirky, working-class hobby became the pastime of the Masters of the Universe set.

Wheelmen offers a riveting look at what happens when enigmatic genius breaks loose from the strictures of morality. It reveals the competitiveness and ingenuity that sparked blood-doping as an accepted practice, and shows how the Americans methodically constructed an international operation of spies and revolutionary technology to reach the top. At last exposing the truth about Armstrong and American cycling, Wheelmen paints a living portrait of what is, without question, the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports.

©2013 Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell (P)2013 Penguin Audio
Business Ethics Cycling Sports Sports History Workplace & Organizational Behavior Inspiring
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup

Critic reviews

"Authoritative and overflows with forceful details.... Albergotti and O'Connell write like insiders looking out." (Los Angeles Times)

"A chilling tale, and many of the anecdotes Albergotti and O’Connell collected sound like they were actually crafted in a TV-drama writers’ room." (The Atlantic)

"Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O’Connell uncovered plenty more shocking details about the full extent of Armstrong’s drug use as well as the many people and institutions that helped him." (The Daily Beast)

Well-researched Journalism • Compelling Narrative • Balanced Perspective • Insightful Details • Comprehensive Coverage
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
The Lance Armstrong doping scandal was the most crushing sports scandal of the 21st century. It combined the audacity of a man, whose ego knows no bounds, an awe struck public, and a culture of celebrity worship that does not question inconsistencies but worships unabashedly. This book is matter of fact in its assertion of Armstrong, and though truthful about his outrageous narcissism, it never completely bashes him. If anything, this book reflects our culture.

This story isn’t just about Armstrong. But it is about the win at all costs, corrupt culture of sports in general. Not just athletes, but coaches, heads of corporations, and sponsors feed the corruption. The list goes on and on. Santino Fontana, a brilliant actor and stage performer, is a revelation as a narrator. Here’s to hoping he continues to use his talents as a narrator, on a variety of material.

Mind blowing inside look at the scandal of the century

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Any additional comments?

This was a book written by great reporters with knowledge for the sport— Reed Albergotti is a competitive amateur cyclist.The narration suited the book terrifically. It went at just the right pace, with suitable inflections and voices for quotes.

Great book and great narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

An intimate look at Lance Armstrong and the infancy of American pro cycling. I came away wondering if Lance really had a choice if he wanted to be a pro cyclist.
Lance was always arrogant, but also very talented with or without EPO.
A great look into the darker side of pro cycling.

Wheelmen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Wow fantastic listen, powerful story! The rise and fall of a cycling legend, told like never before!

Wow fantastic listen, powerful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Great book about someone iconic which I didn’t know all the details on which the book shed light on. Only gripe is how the author projects their attitude/opinion on Armstrong

Informational then personal towards the end

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Would you be willing to try another one of Santino Fontana’s performances?

Narrator was ok except pronunciations were not how people normally pronounce them. EX: Hincapie is typically pronounced Hin - CA - pie. . . NOT . . . HIN - cu - pie. Very grating to the ear.

Pronunciations not correct.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Not much new information. Loved how the book explored other actors in the conspiracy too.

Great narration!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Lots of information and variety of detail provided but lacked the 'story'. The range of names, drugs, places and races mentioned might be overwhelming.
Tyler Hamilton's The secret race is a good complement to this book, covering less people but in more detail. It also goes into more detail about the character of riders, doctors, their relationships and how procedures like blood transfusions were undertaken.

Interesting details into a great sporting fraud

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Job except he doesn't pronounce people's nor place names correctly. Any follower of cycling would know George Hingcape's name, among others, he mispronounced. Plus some of the TdF locations were butchered.
Overall I would recommend this book is you are at all interested in Armstrong's ride and fall.

Narrator does an adequate...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This book is a definite story of reporters that are out to get their man. I believe they accomplished that. It doesn’t change my mind about a cunning and intelligent racer. Who became the fall guy for all of cycling.

Lance and Wheelman

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews