Former Tour de France cyclist Pippa York and renowned Irish journalist David Walsh have won  the William Hill Sports Book of the Year  (#SBOTY2025) for The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me — a story of transformation, friendship, and self-identity told through the lens of cycling’s most demanding race.

York, one of Britain’s most unique modern sports figures, said the book was written to show “transgender people as respectable and ordinary,” adding that it reflects “the reality of being human is not a headline.”

The judging panel praised The Escape as an honest and empathetic piece of work, calling it a “rare sports book that moves seamlessly between two worlds — the peloton and personal truth.”

Walsh, best known for his investigations into cycling’s doping scandals in the 1990s and early 2000s, said the intent behind the book was more personal than political. “We didn’t want to debate politics or gender,” he explained. “We wanted to tell a human story — about friendship, understanding, and the joy of the road.”

At its core, The Escape tells three stories in one: the career of Robert Millar, the Scottish climber who became a Tour de France legend; his decade-long transition into Pippa York; and a present-day journey following the Tour with Walsh, who reconnects with the person he once admired from a distance.

York described the writing process as “liberating but ordinary,” noting that “the book isn’t about being brave — it’s about being yourself.”

For Walsh, the collaboration offered closure on a long-held fascination. “I’d always admired Robert Millar — this beautiful, defiant rider — but he was distant,” he reflected. “Meeting Pippa years later gave me the chance to understand that person, to see who she’d become and how much of him remained in her.”

Judges highlighted how the book transcends its sporting backdrop, blending reportage, memoir, and emotional depth. One panellist described it as “a story about sport’s capacity to unite, to heal, and to humanise,” adding that York and Walsh had achieved “something extraordinary — a sports book that subtly reshapes how we see people and performance.”

Despite her modesty, York admitted she was “a bit shocked” by the award but expressed gratitude for the recognition. “Inside I’m thrilled, outside I’m calm,” she said. “Maybe I should be jumping up and down.”

For both authors, the win marks the meeting of two worlds — the journalist who once chronicled cycling’s hardest truths and the rider who defied its conventions. “Winning with Pippa is better than winning alone,” Walsh said. “It’s a reminder that the best stories are shared.”

The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me stands as a deeply human reflection on change, resilience, and belonging — a testament to how sport continues to illuminate the meaning of transformation.