In Search of Britain's Greatest Athlete, Beryl Burton

Beryl Burton wasn’t just a great cyclist — she was one of the toughest, most unstoppable athletes Britain has ever produced. This award‑winning biography (William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2022, The Times Sports Book of the Year, and a Financial Times Best Sports Book) finally gives her the recognition she earned on the road.
While Eddy Merckx was becoming a global icon, Burton was quietly dominating her sport with even greater longevity. Practically unbeatable in time trials, she held the Best All‑Rounder title for an astonishing 25 years and set the legendary 12‑hour record that still hasn’t been broken. She won world titles, beat men outright, and even raced against her own daughter — all while working full‑time on a Yorkshire farm and running a household.
But her story isn’t just about medals. Burton’s career was shaped by the barriers she faced from cycling’s governing bodies, who often limited her opportunities. Through new material and extensive interviews with family, rivals, friends and sporting greats, Jeremy Wilson uncovers the real BB: fierce, funny, stubborn, overlooked, and utterly compelling.
This is the definitive portrait of one of cycling’s most extraordinary characters — a woman whose achievements deserve to stand alongside the biggest names in sport.