Author

Leslie Reissner
Growing up in the two-wheel desert that was Canada decades ago, Leslie Reissner discovered the joys of cycling when he and a friend rode from London to Munich one summer after high school. Since then, he has done some long distance riding in Europe, including the Camino de Santiago (which apparently entitles him to reduced time in Purgatory), dragged himself over major climbs in the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites, Vosges and Appalachians, and even done some racing. In spite of owning 11 bicycles and a cool sports car, Leslie still stays indoors for six months of the year due to the lousy weather and terrible roads in Ottawa but at least he has time to listen to classical music and read a lot of cycling books.
“Cycling Along Europe's Rivers” by Michael Lyon is subtitled “Bicycle Touring Made Easy and Affordable” and pretty much delivers on this promise. The author has nearly three decades of experience cycling in Europe annually and the book is…
PEZ Bookshelf: Pantani Was A God
Don't be misled by the title of this excellent book. “Pantana Was A God” is not a panegyric, a worshipful recounting of the life of the last pro cyclist to win the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in the same year. It is two books in…
PEZ Bookshelf: Le Loop—How to Cycle the Tour de France
"Le Loop" is a UK-based organization that brings amateur cyclists to France each year for the opportunity to ride the route of that year's Tour, in whole or in part, a week before the pros come through. This not only gives enthusiasts a…
PEZ Bookshelf: Maglia Rosa – Triumph and Tragedy at the Giro d’Italia
Thanks to “Maglia Rosa: Triumph and Tragedy at the Giro d’Italia” by British author/Italian resident Herbie Sykes we have not only an English-language history of the Giro d’Italia, which is in itself distressingly rare, but an…
PEZ Bookshelf: 48 Days
As we look forward to a titanic struggle between Evenepoel and Roglic for the Maglia Rosa. Remco won his first Grand Tour, the Vuelta, in September 2022 and is now going for his second nine months later. In 1981 only three days separated…
PEZ Bookshelf: The Buddha and the Bee
It is said that people travel to see the world, or to run away from something behind them, and in his entertaining book, “The Buddha and the Bee,” author Cory Mortensen discovers that perhaps his reason for wanting to ride his bicycle from…
PEZ Goes to the Races: Tour of the Alps 2023 Preview
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Tour of the Alps (TofA), which launches on April 17 and runs for five days across some of the most challenging landscapes you can wish for.
PEZ Bookshelf: The Art of Cycling
Participants in men's professional bike racing have not been noted for intellectual pursuits or firepower. Maybe you don't have to think much when riding. But in “The Art of Cycling,” perhaps the most unusual cycling-related book we have…
Canyon//SRAM’s Alex Morrice Gets PEZ’d!
With her successful participation in the Zwift Academy competition in December 2022, British rider Alex Morrice landed a two year contract with Women's WorldTour team Canyon//SRAM, a thrill for any serious rider. In March Leslie Reissner…
GCN+ Streaming Channel Breakdown – So Much to See
Remember setting your VCR to record Wide World of Sports to tape a week's worth of the Tour delivered in 90 mins on Saturday afternoon? Streaming services have changed all that and thanks to GCN+, cycling fans can now watch so much racing…