Joan Llaneras facts for kids
Llaneras in 2011
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|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Joan Llaneras Rosselló |
| Born | 17 May 1969 Porreres, Spain |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 143 lb (65 kg) |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Track |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Madison and points |
Joan Llaneras Rosselló (born on May 17, 1969, in Porreres, Majorca) is a famous former Spanish track cyclist. He is known for winning many medals at the Olympics and World Championships. Joan was especially good at two types of track cycling races: the Madison and the points race.
He first started his cycling journey on the road with the ONCE professional team. However, he soon decided to focus all his energy on track cycling. This turned out to be a great choice! Joan became a seven-time world champion and a double Olympic champion.
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A Champion on the Track
Joan Llaneras was incredibly successful in track cycling. He won the points race four times at the World Championships. He also won the Madison race three times.
His biggest achievements came at the Olympic Games.
- He won a gold medal in the points race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
- Eight years later, he won another gold medal in the points race at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
What are these races?
Track cycling races happen on a special oval track called a velodrome.
- The points race is a long race where cyclists earn points by sprinting at certain laps. The rider with the most points at the end wins.
- The Madison is a team race for two riders. One rider races while the other rests, and they swap places by touching hands or clothing. It's a very exciting and strategic race!
Overcoming Challenges
In November 2006, Joan Llaneras was racing in the Six Days of Ghent with his teammate, Isaac Gálvez. Sadly, Isaac had an accident during the race and passed away. This was a very difficult time for Joan.
He thought about quitting cycling forever. But after some time, he decided to keep going. He said that cycling was his life and his dream. He knew that giving up wouldn't change what happened.
Returning to Competition
Joan returned to racing in 2007. Even though he didn't plan to race Madison again, he teamed up with Antonio Tauler for the 2008 Summer Olympics. They won a silver medal in the Madison race! This was just three days after Joan had won his second gold medal in the points race.
By winning these medals, Joan Llaneras became the Spanish athlete with the most Olympic medals ever. He had two gold medals and two silver medals. After the Beijing Olympics, Joan decided to retire from professional cycling. He left a lasting legacy as one of Spain's greatest track cyclists.
Images for kids
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Llaneras in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Joan Llaneras para niños
