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Descent

By: Thomas Dekker, Thijs Zonneveld
Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
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Publisher's summary

At age 20, Thomas Dekker was already earning €100,000 a year - as an amateur bike racer. The next year, he turned pro and his salary quadrupled then rose again to €900,000 as he established his position as a super-domestique among Europe's wealthiest superteams. The sport world marveled at Dekker's rise as the young racer set his ambitions on capturing cycling's biggest prizes for himself. Before long, though, Dekker found himself corrupted by money, dazzled by fame, and cracking under the relentless pressure to perform at a superhuman level.

In his tell-all book Descent: My Epic Fall from Cycling Superstardom to Doping Dead End, Dekker reveals a sordid way of life full of blood bags, drugs, prostitutes, and money. Descent tells the story of a years-long bender that exposes the brutal truth of his life as a professional cyclist. And Dekker is not alone; he names those who fell with him and those who aided in his downfall.

In Descent, we take an unflinching look at the European peloton as it roars through its modern boom years - the height of the EPO era - and what we see is shocking. You won't be able to turn away from this compelling book about one man's rise, fall, and redemption and what his story reveals about professional sports.

©2017 Thomas Dekker and Thijs Zonneveld (P)2018 Tantor
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Featured Article: The Best Biking Audiobooks


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What listeners say about Descent

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May the truth set you free. Well done! 

This is the most frank and honest self appraisal I’ve ever read. Thomas Decker pulls no punches about himself or the world of cycling. I hope books like this will truly clean up the sport and make it something all cyclists can be proud of. 

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It feels honest, great story

You feel for the guy, and it represents kind of rawness - its real life.

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Really interesting!!!

I found this book extremely interesting. What a rollercoaster Thomas Dekker was on. So much talent for bike racing, but also so insecure and grandiose. My hat goes off to him for sharing his story with the world, and to the co-author, who kept me engaged the whole time. Great job gentleman!

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are you kidding me? no.

after listening to this and ' the comeback kid", l can't believe that anyone would want to get into professional cycling. both are amazing stories and keep your attention. I loved Thomas' honesty, hope he has way to find the truth

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Dramatically honest

Recommended both for cycling history and as a memoir of addictive behavior. Brutally honest, well written and performed. Like other doping-era memoirs, this one both damns and exonerates, though less for some than others. The more I read/listen to these the more I seem to see patterns in superhuman performances today, as well as how the selected elite riders are treated differently than the rest of the peloton.

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