Giacomo Agostini - Champion of Champions

Mick Walker's expert account recalls the extraordinary era, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, when Agostini was without doubt, the man to beat at the top level of motorcycle sport.

Fifteen world titles - eight at 500cc and twelve Isle of Man TT victories in an extraordinary 17 year career make Giacomo Agostini the most successful racing motorcyclist in the history of the sport.

His precocious talent and the courage and flair he demonstarted as a rider throughout his long career marked him out from all his comtemporaries.

Walker reassesses Agostini's remarkable record and explores the personal and technical background to his achievement. He writes of Agostini's birth in Northern Italy, his success as a teenager in hillclimbs and other local events

No one could have predicted the matchless run of success that followed - no less than 122 Grand Prix wins. Walker covers the less-known side of Agostini's career too, but he concentrates on the racing years and on the motorcycles themselves.

About the Author

Mick Walker is acknowledged as one of the world's leading motorcycle authorities. In a career which has spanned over 45 years, he has written over 100 books and curated several exhibitions.

He has also been a successful racer, tuner, team manager and talent scout. In 1998 he was involved in The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

There is virtually no aspect of the motorcycle industry in which he has not been involved. During the 1980s, he was editor of Motorcycle Enthusiast magazine and, in 1999, Ducati presented him with a lifetime achievement award, the first ever of its kind.