Bloody Minded: My Life in Cycling

Breakaway is the compelling and candid memoir of Alex Dowsett, one of Britain’s most accomplished professional cyclists. From riding Grand Tours and Classics with world‑class teams such as Sky and Movistar to breaking the prestigious World Hour Record, Dowsett offers a rare insider’s view of life at the highest level of the sport.

Told with sharp humour, honesty and emotional depth, Dowsett reflects on the triumphs and setbacks that shaped his career. Central to his story is his experience living and competing with haemophilia A, a condition that makes crashes potentially life‑threatening. As the only able‑bodied elite athlete in the world with this diagnosis, he reveals how it both hindered his early sporting ambitions and fuelled his determination to succeed. In a sport defined by suffering and risk, Dowsett’s courage takes on an entirely different magnitude.

Featuring an all‑star cast of cycling greats—including Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish and Lance Armstrong—this gripping memoir lifts the lid on the realities of the pro peloton: the camaraderie, the politics, the injustices and the relentless drive to win. From Giro d’Italia stage victories to moments of deep frustration, Dowsett charts a career powered equally by passion and defiance.

Insightful,

'Immensely readable and revealing'
The Guardian

'A story like no other in cycling'
Ned Boulting