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  • Draft Animals

  • Living the Pro Cycling Dream (Once in a While)
  • Written by: Phil Gaimon
  • Narrated by: Phil Gaimon
  • Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (76 ratings)

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Draft Animals cover art

Draft Animals

Written by: Phil Gaimon
Narrated by: Phil Gaimon
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Publisher's Summary

Like countless other kids, Phil Gaimon grew up dreaming of being a professional athlete. But unlike countless other kids, he actually pulled it off. After years of amateur races, hard training, living out of a suitcase, and never taking "no" for an answer, he finally achieved his goal and signed a contract to race professionally on one of the best teams in the world.

Now, Gaimon pulls back the curtain on the WorldTour, cycling's highest level. He takes listeners along for his seasons in Europe, covering everything from rabid, water-bottle-stealing Belgian fans, to contract renewals, to riding in poisonous smog, to making friends in a sport plagued by doping. Draft Animals reveals a story as much about bike racing as it is about the never-ending ladder of achieving goals, failure, and finding happiness if you land somewhere in-between.

©2017 Phil Gaimon (P)2017 Tantor

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What listeners say about Draft Animals

Average Customer Ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars

great racing perspective

narration was a tad flat but overall great story and awesome perspective on continental and world tour racing.

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2 people found this helpful

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funny, enlightening and a great listen

very funny, enlightening and a great listening, also self narrated which gives it the edge

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2 people found this helpful

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very entertaining

can be a bit of a downer for an aspiring cyclist but informative and funny moments

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Cookie Monster of Cycling strikes again with his honesty and humour!

I found Phil’s book entertaining and a distraction that I thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes storybook endings don’t happen the way we like them too, but the journey teaches us so much about ourselves and others. Then again, I’m not sure if I had any takeaways from Phil’s stories. Okay maybe a few. Great book. Go ride you bike Phil.

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1 person found this helpful

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Super funny and a great insight into pro cycling

This book is full of amazing and hilarious stories about life as a pro cyclist. Phil Gaimon is an amazing writer, and if you're a cycling fan, or if you just love great stories and lots of laughs, you need to check out this book.

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Well done Phil

cycling is deep and dark, thanks for sharing the behind-the-scenes point of view sir.

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A good listen

A better cycling behind-the-scenes pro cycling bio than others. Nice guy, clean, with little respect for the dopers, yet has also ridden in grand tours.

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  • Overall
    out of 5 stars
  • SD
  • 2021-09-27

Insider view

The story is enlightening about the world of bicycle racing. I have enjoyed following the racing, this gives a much bigger view of what it is like, or was like, for Phil.

I have listened to it twice, and will hear it more.

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Loved it

Entertaining yet honest and self aware, Gaimon makes it hard to not like and empathize with him.

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