Bloody Minded

My Life in Cycling

By: Alex Dowsett

Narrated by: Joshua Riley

Bloomsbury presents Bloody Minded by Alex Dowsett, read by Joshua Riley.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2024 – CYCLING BOOK OF THE YEAR

'Immensely readable and revealing'
The Guardian

'A must read'
Phil Liggett, MBE

'A story like no other in cycling'
Ned Boulting

IMAGINE COMPETING IN THE WORLD'S MOST BRUTAL CYCLE RACES, KNOWING THAT A CRASH COULD BE FATAL

Alex Dowsett is one of Britain's greatest cyclists. He has ridden Grand Tours and Classics for elite teams including Sky and Movistar and broke the iconic World Hour Record – the ultimate time trial challenge. With humour, insight and honesty, Alex recounts his years as a pro-cyclist and the challenges he has faced in his struggle to reach the top.

Alex has achieved all this despite being the only able-bodied elite sportsperson in the world with haemophilia A. He describes how the condition – in which falls can be fatal – both blighted his young sporting life, and boosted his determination to succeed. Every professional cyclist requires courage, but Alex takes fearlessness to another level in a sport where injury and suffering are a given.

With an all-star cycling cast, including Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish and Lance Armstrong, this pulsating book lifts the lid on life in the peloton at the world’s top level. From his highs – including Giro d’Italia stage victories – to his frustrations at the injustices he faced in the sport, Alex's memoir perfectly chronicles a career in which he was driven equally by love and rage.

Combining Alex's personal triumphs with his unique take on being part of the golden age of British cycling, this is an unmissable tale of sporting endeavour.

'A fascinating insight into the mindset of an elite sportsman who overcame great odds to reach the very top'
Simon Brotherton

'The humblest super-talent in the peloton, proving nice guys can win. A wonderful book'
Carlton Kirby

'An inspiration for anyone who wants to do whatever they’re told they can’t.'
Michael Hutchinson

'Such an inspiring tale. Poignant and moving, and told with forthright honesty'
Peter Cossins

Critic reviews

Immensely readable and revealing (Donald McRae)

A story to tell like no other in cycling

A great champion in sport and in life, and a credit for all young aspiring people to follow. A must read

Truly inspirational

The humblest super-talent in the peloton, proving nice guys can win. A wonderful book

Such an inspiring tale. Poignant and moving, and told with forthright honesty

An inspiration for anyone who wants to do whatever they’re told they can’t. (Michael Hutchinson)

Unembellished and honest. Alex tells what life as a professional cyclist is really like

Truly compelling.… a must read book for any cycling fan

Compelling (Phil Cavell)

A fascinating insight into the mindset of an elite sportsman who overcame great odds to reach the very top

Inspirational and honest! Captivating!!

Such a wonderful story and a look inside the peloton. I love your book Alex!!

Page-turner

Motivating and inspiring!
Fantastic book, a lot of insight in to elite sports and food for thought.
A must read!

Inspiration

Love who Alex is as a human. His story is honest and inspiring to hear. Perfectly narrated

Well done Alex, you little bleeder

From watching Alex’s YouTube videos, this book feels like it’s written in his authentic voice. The hemophilia talk can feel repetitive but I think it’s more obvious in the audio version as you cover more pages more quickly. The racing details and behind the scenes stuff are fascinating. This book feels honest, and like a reflection of the person Alex seems to be and not just the normal glowy biography

Fascinating insight into the sport. Love the myriad anecdotes.

A wild ride. Really dug this listen. As an amateur cyclist, I loved the stories of struggle and accomplishment.