Raphaël Geminiani

“Raincoats are for Tourists”
The Racing Secrets of Raphaël Geminiani 
by Isabel Best

Raphaël Geminiani is one of the towering figures of cycling history. He took part in 50 Tours de France – as a rider, directeur sportif and journalist. From the unpaved roads and 300-kilometre long stages following World War II, to the emergence of clipless pedals and disc wheels in the 1980s, Geminiani was always there, not just a witness, but as a protagonist at the heart of the action. 

Raincoats are for Tourists distils the racing wisdom of a champion whose rivals included Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali and Charly Gaul, and a directeur sportif whose riders included Jacques Anquetil, Tom Simpson and Eddy Merckx. 

Now, aged 95, he is a living connection to the very beginnings of cycle racing: a rider who learned his craft from the legends of the 1920s and 30s yet was also a catalyst for innovation throughout his career. This book is a love letter to the art of racing; the self-knowledge, the tricks, the pain and the panache.

Illustrated by Ste Johnson 

Foreword by Simon Mottram, founder and CEO of Rapha Racing Ltd.

Specification

Dimensions	185 x 135mm
Pagination	224pp on Munken Pure Cream 120gsm paper
Images and text	2 colour with illustrations
Cover	Flexi-bound, round spine, Balacron material, foil printed, H&T bands
Endpapers	Printed colour on white offset 140gsm
Bookmark	Satin ribbon
Published	2020 by Rapha Editions
ISBN	978-1-912164-07-3