One-Way Ticket

Nine Lives on Two Wheels

By: Jonathan Vaughters, Jeremy Whittle - contributor

Narrated by: Jonathan Vaughters

Length: 10 hrs

Publisher's summary

The new memoir tracing story of cycling since the 1980s, through the eyes of Jonathan Vaughters, founder of team Education First and one of the sport's most towering figures.

Jonathan Vaughters' story is the story of modern cycling. From his early years as a keen cyclist in his hometown in Colorado to his unflinching rite of passage as a professional rider with US Postal to his elevation as one of cycling's most resilient, ethical, and intelligent team bosses, the highs and lows of his career have mirrored those of the sport itself. Vaughters has had a front-row seat for most of the major events in cycling over the past three decades. He was both a former teammate of Lance and a leading witness against him. And he went on to renounce doping and start the first pro cycling team to dedicate itself to clean riding, which has grown into one of the most successful teams competing today and started a movement that has swept across the sport.

This is also not simply a story of races won and lost: Vaughters shows listeners how he navigated the complex, international business of building Slipstream into a world-class cycling team. Over the past decade, he has led the sport out of the scandal-plagued Armstrong era. By presenting the world with a team made of talented racers built around a rigorous approach to clean racing, he set a new standard within cycling that has since spread across the peloton. Written from the unique perspective of both a racer and a team manager, One-Way Ticket gives the complete story of what it takes to build a winning team and repair the reputation of a sport.

©2019 Jonathan Vaughters (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Part personal history, part confessional, One-Way Ticket is also a love letter to a beautiful, brutal, hopelessly corrupt, yet paradoxically pure sport. It chronicles Vaughters’s saga as an athlete, but there are many more layers to the story, and that’s what makes it essential reading for any cycling fan and for anyone who followed Armstrong’s rise and fall. It covers the deep history of American bike racing in a way that has never been done. And it’s an honest, unflinching look at cycling’s darkest era from someone who fully lived it." (Outside Magazine)

"Vaughters rewrites the book on cycling’s doping era. One-Way Ticket sheds new light on pro cycling's 'EPO era.'" (VeloNews)

“One-Way Ticket offers a behind-the-scenes perspective of a complex man who, despite being scarred by professional racing, remains dedicated to the sport.” (Library Journal)

Informative story told by a principled and passionate cyclist and director.

Jonathan bares his soul about his passion for cycling, his talent and the difficult decisions he made during his career as a cyclist and as a team director, including fascinating insight into the business of running a world tour team. The narrative about PEDs and blood doping helps a fan understand how it developed and progressed through his involvement in the sport. His reading is rapid and less than perfect, but occasionally, there are inflections that add to the authenticity. All cycling fans will realize how much we all owe to Jonathan for his contributions to the sport through a challenging period. Thanks Jonathan!

Very Enjoyable

I really enjoyed this trip through the authors career. Very honest and informative. JV does a great job narrating !

Great book!!!

Great insight to pro cycling. From the blemished USPS era to the present. It confirms by love of the sport and the team I root for, EF/Easypost!

Outstanding

I really enjoyed the book a great deal. JV does and excellent job explaining the inside of pro cycling. It was funny, sad, informative and entertaining.

Thank you, JV.

i just wanted to give it five stars. i am not qualified to write a book review. Just thank you JV for this gift.

Want to know cycling? Listen

This book is everything that you need to know about the beauty and ugliness of cycling. Want to know about the cut throat nature? Want to know why it hasn’t grown? Want to know why the business of it suck’s…it’s all here.

Nice to see someone admit to his mistakes

In this day where so many people are victims, it’s nice to see someone admit they messed up and do their best to change things

informative and entertaining

Couldn't stop listening - JV doesn't come out smelling like roses, but he shares a fascinating journey along the way, with a few carefully-considered ideas about how the pro cycling business model will have to evolve if it is ever to grow (and maybe survive).

Stellar!

As a rider who won state, nationals and went to worlds, I sadly bowed out of the sport when “IT” became obvious.. for me,
Vaughters book is a cathartic and helped me work thru all the BS that makes cycling the best sport on earth. Masterful work!!

Interesting Story

The story starts really strong and following his career was really fun. It was lacking for me a bit once it got to the scandal and team management phases but still was interesting. I like when books are read by the author (or contributor in this case) but I will say it was a bit of a tough listen. The recording doesn't seem edited at all, it almost sounds like he sat down and recorded the entire thing in one session. Many parts sound like JV is hearing things about his life for the first time and there are many audible sighs which sound like he's incredibly tired of reading. Definitely could be better edited on the audio side. Overall though I would listen to it again and recommend it to anyone interested in professional cycling.