The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman: A Bone-shaking Tour through Cycling’s Flemish Heartlands

In The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman, devoted Belgophile and cycling obsessive Harry Pearson drags you head‑first into the wonderfully strange world of Flemish bike racing. Think lumpy horizontal rain, bone‑rattling cobbles, fans dressed as chickens and shop windows proudly displaying constipation remedies — all part of the charm of a spring spent chasing races across Flanders.

Pearson follows events big, small and hilariously tiny, weaving through windswept polders, back roads and an impressive number of beer cafés. Along the way, he digs into 500 years of Flemish and European history, exploring the characters, myths and rivalries that make this region the spiritual home of cobbled classics and a place where cycling isn’t just a sport — it’s a full‑blown religion, with riders as its lycra‑clad priests.

Funny, atmospheric and packed with insider detail, this is the perfect read for anyone who loves cycling culture, quirky travel writing or the muddy, glorious madness of racing in Flanders.