The Accidental Tour-ist: (Final) Dispatches from the Road (Hardback)

Fifteen years after his bestselling memoir, Ned Boulting returns with a fresh, funny and deeply personal look at life inside the world of professional cycling. In The Accidental Tour‑ist, his love for the greatest race on earth has only grown stronger — even as his fitness has faded and his hairline has retreated.

Bringing the story up to the present day, Ned reflects on how road racing has reinvented itself, shaking off the shadows of its past. Now a full‑time commentator rather than a reporter, he takes readers far beyond the Tour de France, offering behind‑the‑scenes access to races across Europe, the Middle East, China and Malaysia, with a special deep dive into the glorious chaos of the Giro d’Italia.

Along the way, Ned encounters surly waiters, baffling language barriers, wild dogs, Sicilian police officers, nonagenarian Presidents and a colourful cast of ex‑racers who are anything but straightforward. His stories capture the absurdity, camaraderie and sheer unpredictability of life on the road with the professional peloton.

Warm, witty and wonderfully observant, The Accidental Tour‑ist is a must‑read for cycling fans and anyone who enjoys travel writing with character, humour and heart.