Draft Animals

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

I’m a fan!

I do have to admit I’m a fan of Phil’s. That being said, it’s not from his riding. I’d never heard of him until I stumbled across his YouTube channel. But his story, personality, and writing style have made me a fan. To me everything he puts out resonates with me. I truly like his stuff and the sense of humor with which it’s delivered.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great listen. Narrated by the man himself.

Great anecdotal insight on the multiple issues of (barely) making it as a pro cyclist. Gaimon is funny and articulate, and it is obvious that the book was written by himself. Nothing like other ghost-written cyclist books (namely Armstrong's, Hincapie's or Hamilton's), this one was well worth the listen.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great book!

Best part was the audible version is read by the author himself and it just adds to the humor. I wish his other two were the same. Great book!

Great book!!

What a fun book to listen to!! Phil takes you to the top of the mountain and brings you back down again, safely. As not a pro cyclist, I loved this book!

An unencumbered look at life as a euro-pro domestique

This book will appeal to cycling fans, especially those who do or have competed (and have likely day-dreamed about going pro). A continuation of Phil’s previous book detailing his rise from out-of-shape high schooler to continental pro, Draft Animals continues with his career on Bissell and Garmin Sharp.

This book has all the wit and self-honesty of “Pro Cycling...” with a bit more refinement and better editing, not to mention the added interest of its content being about racing in Europe with a lot of big names. Overall, it still falls short in detailing the day-to-day, interior struggle of training and living for the purpose of the next race(and the next and the next). There’s a bit of that, but introspection isn’t the strong point of this book. Where it succeeds is in plotting the trajectory of racer, and all the myriad obstacles that come with it, and to a cyclist/fan, it’s a great read.

Fun listen<br />

Phil is a good storyteller who has a quirky sense of humor. I enjoyed this audiobook.

Inspiring

A very detailed and exciting look inside the life of a pro cyclist. Any cyclist or non cyclist will enjoy the humor and stories Phil tells. As I ride now I look at my power meter and think back to "tour de Phil" and push a bit harder.

a great book read well

I will admit I'm a little depressed having now finished Draft Animals. Running out of pages of a good book always sucks, but also Phil paints a bleak but I'm sure honest and realistic picture of the pro cycling scene. I'm bummed for him and how he ended up, but also proud that he didn't succumb to the pressures to cheat or the pressure to lie and say it was all a cake-walk.

I was plleasantly surprised with his reading of it too. Usually author-read books are terrible, but Phil does great and I even think the jokes turn out better with him reading them then they would just in my head.

Great Listen!

I thouroghly enjoyed every bit of this book. Very cool for amateur cyclists to get a sense of the politics that goes with being a pro. Phil's dry sense of humor is hysterical.

Great book Phil!

Captain Smart Ass does it again. Three in a row I couldn't put down. Cookie!