"The Rider," by Tim Krabbé.Read about the other books on the list.
This classic in the field of biking literature can be described as a love letter to bike racing. It puts the reader inside the head of Dutch novelist and cyclist Tim Krabbé as he rides a 137-kilometer race through some of the toughest mountain terrain of the Tour de France. As he rides he meditates on his own attachment to the sport, as well as that of other cyclists.
Also see Matt Seaton's top 10 books about cycling and William Fotherham's top ten cycling novels.
--Marshal Zeringue