We are delighted to be joined at the Temperance Cafe in Leamington Spa by Matt Rendell, acclaimed cycling author and a regular commentator and reporter on ITV's Tour de France coverage for nearly 20 years. 

Matt will be joining us fòr a night of cycling conversation nine days after the 2022 Tour de France finishes, and giving us his first-hand assessment of this year's race.

Matt will also be discussing his latest book - Colombia es Pasion: The Generation of Racing Cyclists Who Changed Their Nation and the Tour de France. Matt maintains that the way a stream of cyclists from small Colombian villages have risen to compete in (and, in Egan Bernal's case, win) the world's biggest cycle race is one of the greatest stories in sport. Matt is uniquely placed to tell this story, which sheds light on both Colombia's troubled national history and on the timeless, global allure of the Tour itself.

We will also be talking about Matt's previous works - including his acclaimed biography of the tragic 1998 Tour de France champion Marco Pantani, which was the basis for the film, The Accidental Death of a Cyclist; and Blazing Saddles: The Cruel and Unusual History of the Tour De France .

Alongside his seven cycling books and contributions to print and broadcast media, Matt has worked for several teams; lived in Italy, Spain, France, Latvia and Colombia; written a book about learning salsa; and has past lives as a university lecturer and jazz double-bassist.

Whether reflecting on his own remarkable life or the big themes of sporting history illuminated in his books, Matt is a great story-teller and we look forward to an evening of revealing and entertaining conversation. There will be a chance to ask your own questions.

Matt's limited run of post-Tour shows last year delighted audiences with a magically unpredictable mix of deep knowledge, frankly bizarre/hilarious personal stories, radical ideas about the future of the sport and a near-poetic appreciation of its beauties.

Tickets are £12. 

The Temperance Cafe is a lovely spot but it is very small! Matt is appearing at larger venues in other towns on this tour and we expect this event to sell out - so advance booking is essential.

Praise for "Colombia es Pasion" by Matt Rendell

"Wonderful... explores a new generation who have beaten poverty, violence and corruption, and can now, via two wheels, tell a story of a more peaceful, happier nation" - The Observer

"Remarkable, a masterpiece, one of the best books written about cycling..." - Ned Boulting and David Millar, on the Never Strays Far podcast

"Enjoyable, authentic and thorough...this book will enrich your understanding of many of today's top riders and the long, arduous paths they've taken to reach the top of their sport"- The Inner Ring