{"product_id":"9781474609746-green-bullet","title":"The Green Bullet","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe rise, fall and resurrection of Alejandro Valverde and Spanish cycling’s corruption\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\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\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\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\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A study of a dominant force, a true gentleman racer despite his shadowy past' \u003cb\u003eDan Martin\u003c\/b\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. \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Green Bullet\u003c\/i\u003e breaks the silence.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40856315330657,"sku":"9781474609746","price":20.68,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/orig_27651041.jpg?v=1721981347","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9781474609746-green-bullet","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}