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Colombia Es Pasion!

The Generation of Racing Cyclists Who Changed Their Nation and the Tour de France

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Colombia Es Pasion!

By: Matt Rendell
Narrated by: Matt Rendell
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Summary

 By winning the 2019 Tour de France, Egan Bernal became the race's youngest champion in 110 years, and the first from the South American nation of Colombia. His victory brought decades of national yearning to fruition. Colombia has long been the only developing nation contending at cycling's highest level. Yet its cycling sons are not the products of a rigorous sports system that spots them in childhood and nurtures them through the ranks to the pinnacle of globalised sport. They come from harder backgrounds, that surprise, shock - even, at times, enchant.

Colombia Es Pasión! explores the lives and dreams of each of the nation's leading cyclists. Theirs are inspiring stories of overcoming poverty and violence, sickness and corruption, and achieving global sporting glory.

'Takes you into the heart of both a sport and a country. The journey is well worth the effort' Sunday Times
'Wonderful' Observer
'Remarkable, a masterpiece' Never Strays Far podcast©2020 Matt Rendell Cycling Sociology of Sports Sports Latin America
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Critic Reviews

Matt Rendell's passion for Colombia is evident in this wonderful sequel to Kings of the Mountains - another of his cycling books about that country. Here, he explores a new generation who have beaten poverty, violence and corruption, and can now, via two wheels, tell a story of a more peaceful, happier nation
Matt Rendell's latest book Colombia Es Pasion! takes you into the heart of both a sport and a country. The journey is well worth the effort (David Walsh)
Enjoyable, authentic and thorough...this book will enrich your understanding of many of today's top riders and the long, arduous paths they've taken to reach the top of their sport
Remarkable, a masterpiece, one of the best books written about cycling... The result of decades of knowing and understanding Colombia. Meticulously researched, and written with a lightness of touch. In particular, the dialogue is outstanding. Matt's best book - and he's written some stonking books...his love for the subject matter and his deep understanding shine through the pages (Ned Boulting and David Millar)
The 'Mr Colombia' of the cycling press [has] an infectious enthusiasm for [his] subject that the army of online encyclopedia devotees could only hope to capture... the book covers the darker moments, including the harrowing story of the murder of Rigoberto Urán's father
These real-life stories are humbling and inspiring, and if reading them doesn't turn you into a fan of Colombian cycling it can only be because you already were a fan or because your heart is made of stone. It's safe to say that when the next Grand Tour rolls around I will be rooting for the Colombians, each and every one (Rolf Rae-Hansen)
No outsider could be better equipped to write about cycling in Colombia than Rendell... extraordinary access to the major players in Colombian cycling... knowledgeable and passionate (Richard Peploe)
All stars
Most relevant
The research work here to bring so many of these incredible stories together is outstanding. Matt has done a masterful job at connecting the history of the country to the lives of this crop of elite riders who came from very unlikely places.

A beautiful piece of cycling storytelling

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I finished the book in a weekend. I was so excited listening to it. That much that this week I have been telling everybody about the book. The author's reading is very pleasant. Great research about the Colombian political and social environment. Now we know where the talent in Colombian cyclist comes from. This is an example of resilience and determination.

Excellent book!

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