2025 Shortlist Interview: Pippa York and David Walsh

Pippa York and David Walsh’s The Escape has been shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2025.

What is your book about?

Pippa York: “The premise of the book is a travelogue with David [Walsh] during three Tour de France, where we talk about the race and life in general. David interrogates me on my career as a professional cyclist and the subsequent gender transition when I retired in 1995.”

David Walsh: “This is the story of our road trip across three Tour de France, but is also the story of Robert Millar, one of the greatest cyclists that Britain ever produced. Most of all, it’s the story of the transition to Pippa York. We tried to blend those three stories into one. It was an ambitious undertaking but one that we both enjoyed.”

How does it feel to be shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award?

Pippa: “I’m delighted to make the shortlist. I’m slightly surprised that we’ve made it. I’m not sure if David is surprised, he’s an established author, whereas this is my first book. And with the competition that there is, I wasn’t that sure that we’d have much of a chance, but as we’ve received feedback from it, people have been really interested in the story that we tell and the personal relationship that comes through.”

David: “I was really pleased that we were shortlisted, and I felt that we had a chance. Anything after this will be complete bonus. The amount of really good sports books that are produced makes it an extremely difficult thing to end up on the shortlist, so we’re really pleased to have got there.”

What would it mean to win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award?

Pippa: “I’d love to win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year. It would be refreshing to see a story told where you see the positive outcomes of the trans debate as well as that sporting side. You get to see a human story, and that’s quite rare in the genre of this book.”

David: “It would be pretty amazing. This book started out of a friendship when Pippa first joined up with me and we were together in the car just trying to get through our first Tour de France together – the book was really the last thing on our minds. It evolved and it became a story of friendship, a story of revelation and a story of understanding on what Pippa has gone through. The William Hill Sports Book of the Year award is the ultimate award for any sports book, certainly in our part of the world.”

About the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 

The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is the longest established and most valuable literary sports-writing prize in the world. First awarded in 1989, it aims to reward excellence in sports writing and provide recognition to authors who bring the world of sport to life through their work.

This year’s winner will be crowned at a central London ceremony on Tuesday, 25th November, where they will also claim a £30,000 prize and the coveted William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award trophy. Shortlisted authors will receive a leather-bound copy of their book along with £3,000 each.

The 2025 judging panel will be chaired by Alyson Rudd, with Clarke Carlisle, Elis James, Gabby Logan, Mark Lawson, Dame Heather Rabbatts and Michelle Walder making up the rest of the panel.