Johan Bruyneel knows what it takes to win. In 1998, this astute former pro cyclist looked a struggling rider and cancer survivor in the eye and said, 'If we're going to ride the Tour, we might as well win.' What followed was extraordinary. With Bruyneel as his team director, Lance Armstrong seized a record seven straight Tour de France victories. Meanwhile, Bruyneel brought innovation to the sport of cycling, and in 2007 he took the Tour de France title with a new, young team, securing his place in sporting history.

This is the first time the man closest to Armstrong has unveiled his secrets of motivation, planning and execution. Whether mounting a difficult climb, managing a team of 30 riders and 40 support staff from a car hurtling along narrow roads or looking a future legend in the eye and willing him to believe, Bruyneel is, and always has been, the consummate winner. This is his story.