{"product_id":"the-green-bullet-the-rise-fall-and-resurrection-of-alejandro-9781474609753b","title":"The Green Bullet: The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Alejandro Valverde and Spanish Cycling's Corruption","description":"\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eShortlisted for Cycling Book of the Year at the Sports Book Awards 2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom 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\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlejandro 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 España 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen the Spanish police investigation, Operación Puerto, uncovered a vast international blood doping ring, Valverde denied all involvement. The revelations unearthed by Operación Puerto threatened to force cycling off the road.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEven today, Valverde maintains his reticence. \u003cspan style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eThe Green Bullet\u003c\/span\u003e breaks the silence.\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003e'A study of a dominant force, a true gentleman racer despite his shadowy past' Dan Martin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Seven Dials","offers":[{"title":"Bargain","offer_id":42824156872784,"sku":"9781474609753B","price":9.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0592\/8173\/5760\/files\/9781474609753-l.jpg?v=1785895443","url":"https:\/\/bookoutlet.com\/en-ca\/products\/the-green-bullet-the-rise-fall-and-resurrection-of-alejandro-9781474609753b","provider":"Book Outlet","version":"1.0","type":"link"}