{"product_id":"9781474609746","title":"The Green Bullet : The rise, fall and resurrection of Alejandro Valverde and Spanish cycling's corruption","description":"\u003ch3\u003eAuthor:  Rendell, Matt \u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eSpain\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003ch5\u003ePublished on 8 June 2023 by Orion Publishing Co (Seven Dials) in the United Kingdom.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHardback | 288 pages\u003cbr\u003e163 x 244 x 31 | 514g\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNew from award-winning author Matt Rendell, an examination of the phenomenal success of Alejandro Valverde and the moral decay at the heart of Spanish cycling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A study of a dominant force, a true gentleman racer despite his shadowy past' Dan MartinAlejandro Valverde - the 'Green Bullet' - was an international symbol of Spanish cycling for a quarter of a century before his retirement in 2022. Hard-working and supremely talented, he won the Vuelta a Espana and stood on the podium of the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. World champion in 2018, he was also the world's number-one-ranked rider four times. A man of indisputable charisma, he was also a convicted doping cheat.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen the Spanish police investigation, Operacion Puerto, uncovered a vast international blood doping ring, Valverde denied all involvement. The revelations unearthed by Operacion Puerto threatened to force cycling off the road.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eValverde's long career was a high wire walk between the venal interests that surround elite sport in Spain. In a nation beset by corruption, political incompetence and social division, Valverde's talent aided the public image of unscrupulous political and economic institutions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven today, Valverde maintains his reticence. The Green Bullet breaks the silence.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Far From The Madding Crowd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43987498533123,"sku":"9781474609746","price":22.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0404\/3207\/4914\/files\/9781474609746_6c291c85-26c5-458d-9b70-7854292c499f.jpg?v=1731414413","url":"https:\/\/www.maddingcrowdlinlithgow.pro\/products\/9781474609746","provider":"Far From The Madding Crowd","version":"1.0","type":"link"}