Russell Mockridge: The Man in Front
Australian History Biography Young Adult Non-Fiction Sports Cycling History Olympics Illustrated Books
Search for “Russell Mockridge: The Man in Front” and you’ll quickly discover why this 2008 illustrated biography is the definitive portrait of Australia’s forgotten cycling superstar. Martin Curtis retraces Mockridge’s meteoric rise from a Depression-era kid on a borrowed bike to dual-Olympic gold, six-day track legend and the only rider ever to beat the mighty European pros on their own cobbled classics. Printed on quality matte stock and packed with rare race-day photographs, vintage posters and hand-drawn maps of classic routes, the book lets you see exactly why the French press nick-named him “Le Kangarou” – he simply hopped away from the best.
What makes this particular copy collectible is its clean, first-class condition: tight spine, unmarked pages, no dog-ears or inscriptions—only a discreet personal sticker inside the front cover that peels away cleanly if desired. It’s the edition collectors hunt for, still bright and shelf-ready after fifteen years, and it carries the full complement of illustrations that later reprints sometimes drop.
For cycling enthusiasts, sports historians or anyone who loves a ripping true story, Mockridge’s tale is pure adrenaline: racing massed starts on steel bikes with toe-clips, dodging trams in 1950s Melbourne, winning 100-km handicap races off limit-mark, then shocking the world in Helsinki. Curtis balances technical detail with page-turning narrative, making the book perfect for young adults discovering the sport and for older readers who remember the era when the toughest men on two wheels were amateurs with day jobs.
Grab this copy now and you’ll own the best-looking edition of a biography that keeps appreciating as vintage cycling culture roars back into fashion.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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