Descent: My Epic Fall from Cycling Superstardom to Doping Dead End
By Thomas Dekker and Thijs Zonneveld
4.5/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
The Award-Winning, International Best-Seller
“I have success, money, women. I’ve been lionized by the public and the press. The world is at my feet. I’ve spread my wings and here I am, soaring above everything and everyone. But in reality, the descent has already begun.”
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 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 yearslong 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 page-turning read about one man’s rise, fall, and redemption and what his story reveals about professional sports.
Thomas Dekker
Thomas Dekker is a Dutch former professional cyclist whose talent on the bike quickly took him to the top of the sport. He raced for The Netherlands in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, won two Dutch National Time Trial Championships, and captured victories in the 2006 Tirreno-Adriatico and the 2007 Tour of Romandie. He rode for the Dutch Rabobank superteam and then Silence-Lotto before a retroactively tested sample returned positive for EPO. In 2009, Dekker was suspended for two years for the drug violation, and it was later confirmed during Operaction Puerto that Dekker was among the clients of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. After his suspension, Dekker joined the American Garmin Development Team and rode for Garmin-Barracuda from 2012-2014. Dekker claims to have ridden clean for Jonathan Vaughters and he became a popular rider in the American peloton. He retired after an attempt on the World Hour Record in 2015.
Read more from Thomas Dekker
Harvard Classics: All 71 Volumes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Shoemaker’s Holiday: "Fortune and this disguise will further me." Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Witch of Edmonton Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDescent: My Epic Fall from Cycling Superstardom to Doping Dead End Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Roaring Girl, or Moll Cutpurse: "Who'll hear an ass speak?" Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Roaring Girl: “Good, happy, swift; there's gunpowder i'th' court, Wildfire at midnight in this heedless fury.” Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Witch of Edmonton: "I have observed strange variations in you." Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Family of Love: "The devil's engine and the soul's corrupter." Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFour Birds of Noah's Ark: A Prayer Book from the Time of Shakespeare Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Blurt, Master Constable: or, The Spaniard's Night Walk Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Honest Whore: Part I Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Honest Whore - Part II: "One of those creatures that are contrary to man; a woman." Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlurt, Master Constable, or The Spaniard's Night Walk: "What comfort speaks her love to my sick heart?" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Family of Love: "Who reigns within himself, and rules Passions, desires, and fears, is more a king." Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Noble Spanish Soldier Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSatiro-Mastix, or The Untrussing of the Humorous Poet: "Thus we lead youth to church, they us to graves." Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Noble Spanish Soldier: "Com'st thou to mock my tortures with her triumphs?" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSatiro-Mastix; or, the Vntrussing of the Humorous Poet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFour Birds of Noah's Ark: A Prayer Book from the Time of Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Harvard Classics Anthology: 51 Volumes of Nonfiction Books + 20 Volumes of the Greatest Works of Fiction Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Descent
Related ebooks
Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Break: Life as a Cycling Maverick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Loyal Lieutenant: Leading Out Lance and Pushing Through the Pain on the Rocky Road to Paris Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Badger: The Life of Bernard Hinault and the Legacy of French Cycling Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx, Cycling's Greatest Champion Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Hardmen: Legends and Lessons from the Cycling Gods Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Running with Raven: The Amazing Story of One Man, His Passion, and the Community He Inspired Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My Life After Hate Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe World's Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports Hero Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Outsider: A Memoir Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Divide By Two Wheels: Racing a Mountain Bike Unsupported, 2,700 Miles from Canada to Mexico On the Continental Divide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThis Is Gonna Hurt: The Life of a Mixed Martial Arts Champion Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Summary of Tyler Hamilton & Daniel Coyle 's The Secret Race Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRunning for My Life: One Lost Boy's Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Roger Federer Effect: (Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book Awards 2023) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNo Way Renee: The Second Half of My Notorious Life Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Breaking the Surface: How Greg Louganis Overcame Prejudice to Take Home Olympic Gold (LGBTQ+ Sports Memoir) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Reckless: The Life and Times of Luis Ocana Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Racing the Clock: Running Across a Lifetime Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Clean Break: My Story Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Iron War: Dave Scott, Mark Allen, and the Greatest Race Ever Run Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Legend of the Death Race: Conquering Life with Courage, Power, & Wisdom Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFather's Day: A Journey into the Mind and Heart of My Extraordinary Son Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Running Hot Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Red Badge of Courage Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman: A Bone-shaking Tour through Cycling’s Flemish Heartlands Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anchorboy Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Seeing Red Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Sports & Recreation For You
Anatomy of Strength and Conditioning: A Trainer's Guide to Building Strength and Stamina Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Build Muscle the No Nonsense Way Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Pocket Guide to Essential Knots: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Most Important Knots for Everyone Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding: The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revis Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer: The Art, Science and Philosophy of a Bodybuilding Legend Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Body by Science: A Research Based Program to Get the Results You Want in 12 Minutes a Week Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Harvey Penick's Little Red Book: Lessons And Teachings From A Lifetime In Golf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rugby For Dummies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Your Spine, Your Yoga: Developing stability and mobility for your spine Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Hardgainer Solution Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bushcraft Field Guide to Trapping, Gathering, and Cooking in the Wild Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Guide to Improvised Weaponry: How to Protect Yourself with WHATEVER You've Got Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The MAF Method: A Personalized Approach to Health and Fitness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Baseball 100 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ultimate Survival Medicine Guide: Emergency Preparedness for ANY Disaster Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Confident Mind: A Battle-Tested Guide to Unshakable Performance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWinning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis--Lessons from a Master Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Just Tyrus: A Memoir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Field Guide to Knots: How to Identify, Tie, and Untie Over 80 Essential Knots for Outdoor Pursuits Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Ultimate BodyWeight Workout: Transform Your Body Using Your Own Body Weight Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Take Your Eye Off the Ball 2.0: How to Watch Football by Knowing Where to Look Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Arthur: The Dog who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How Am I Doing?: 40 Conversations to Have with Yourself Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Getting to Neutral: How to Conquer Negativity and Thrive in a Chaotic World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Reviews for Descent
5 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is the most tell-all cycling biography that I have read. Dekker really lays out his performance enhancing drug use. He took it all, EPO, testosterone, human growth hormone, cortisone and more. He did blood doping with the infamous Spanish Dr. Fuentes, where he was patient 24. He also seemed to have issues with drugs, alcohol, and women. I would have liked to know more about what he is doing to make a living today.
1 person found this helpful