Competitive team cycling and warfare are inextricably linked in David Coventry's debut novel, The Invisible Mile, set during the 1928 Tour de France.
This was the first time an English-speaking team had taken part in the gruelling competition, and it was made up of New Zealanders and Australians.There were no lightweight super-fast bikes back then. They competed on heavy fixed-wheel bikes with temperamental brakes and no lights.
David has imagined what it would have been like being part of that team, but the story goes beyond the pain of his narrator during the long and arduous trip.
The Invisible Mile is published by Victoria University Press.
