• Draft Animals

  • Living the Pro Cycling Dream (Once in a While)
  • By: Phil Gaimon
  • Narrated by: Phil Gaimon
  • Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (837 ratings)

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Draft Animals

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

What listeners say about Draft Animals

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Hold on to your hoods!!

A story about the good guy winning with a bit of losing too. Grabs you by the jersey and doesn't let go till you realize life's about the adventure not the arrival!

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Great read! Interesting, emotional, and entertaining!

I cycle as a hobby and this was the first year I’ve watched any part of the Tour de France. I downloaded this book on a whim right before a two hour flight and couldn’t put it down. Exceptionally entertaining, interesting, and emotional. Great for learning about the world of cycling but also about the human toll I than it takes to be a professional athlete.

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  • Overall
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Thanks Phil, really appreciate your story, very entertaining and inspiring, couldn't walk away from it this weekend.

Thanks Phil, really appreciate your story, very entertaining and inspiring, couldn't walk away from it this weekend.

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I have read a 3 books by Phil.

It complimented the other books well. Worth reading. He can only. Write about retirement now.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Great story - Very human and personal and real, as always, from Phil. it sounds like he is talking directly to you, just you, and he does a very nice job reading it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyed hearing the ups and downs

Phil did a great job going through his ups and downs as a pro cyclist. As a weekend warrior it gave me a realistic look into the reality of pro cycling. Thanks Phil for the uncensored reality that is pro cycling in the post doping era.

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Phil you're a funny guy and a great storyteller.

I enjoyed your references to the IE, Mount Baldy, Big Bear, all favorites of mine.

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as good as it gets in the peleton

Great insight, funny moments, realistic outcomes. These are all things Phil Gaimon covers with a resting heart rate of 28 and a cookie or two in his back pocket.

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Awesome

Awesome audiobook, with Phil telling the story made feel like I was there living it. Can’t wait for another book.

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An amazing read (listen?)

If you've ever watched an entire stage of the Tour de France (or all 21!) or pretended that you were leading a breakaway during a Sunday morning ride, this book is for you. A great inside look at the state of pro cycling post-Lance that will leave you sad and happy. Thank you Phil for writing and narrating this book.

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