York & Walsh Win 2025 William Hill Sports Book of the Year

UK.- November 26, 2025 www.zonadeazar.com Pippa York, former Tour de France cyclist, and renowned Irish journalist David Walsh have been awarded the 2025 William Hill Sports Book of the Year for The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me.

Their book explores York’s unique journey across 11 Tour de France appearances—back when she competed as Robert Millar—diving into themes such as performance, identity, doping, and sports psychology.

The Escape becomes the fifth cycling book to win the award in the prize’s 37-year history. York secures the trophy with her debut book, while Walsh follows the footsteps of fellow Irish winner Conor Niland (2024).

Selected from a strong shortlist of seven titles, the book was praised by a judging panel chaired by Alyson Rudd for its powerful narrative and emotional depth.

York said she was “pleasantly surprised” by the win, highlighting the emotional challenge of writing the book. Walsh noted that the project was “a labour of love,” celebrating York’s humanity and their shared experiences on the Tour.

Both authors share the £30,000 prize, joining the long list of distinguished winners since the award’s creation in 1989.

Edited by @pererarte   www.zonadeazar.com