Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour De France and the greatest sports conspiracy ever. Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O’Connell. 2013.

Lance Armstrong won a record-smashing seven Tour de France yellow jerseys 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, Armstrong seemed above the fray. Never had cycling - or any sport - boasted such a charismatic and accomplished champion.

Then, in the summer of 2012, the legend imploded. The rumours that had long dogged Armstrong began to solidify. Buried evidence surfaced. Hushed-up witnesses came forth. Armstrong’s Tour victories were stripped from him. His sponsors abandoned him. In January 2013, Armstrong finally admitted doping during the Tours, and in an interview with Oprah, described his “mythic, perfect story” as “one big lie.” But his admission raise more questions than it answered.

Wheelmen reveals the broader tale of how Armstrong and his supporters used money, power and cutting-edge science to conquer the world’s most difficult race. It 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 Americans methodically constructed an international operation of spies and breakthrough technology to reach the top.