Joseba Beloki facts for kids
Joseba Beloki on Col de Peyresourde in 2005
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro | ||
| Born | 12 August 1973 Lazkao, Basque Country, Spain |
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| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb; 10 st 10 lb) | ||
| Team information | |||
| Current team | Retired | ||
| Discipline | Road | ||
| Role | Rider | ||
| Rider type | Climbing specialist | ||
| Major wins | |||
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Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro, born on August 12, 1973, is a former professional road bicycle racer from the Basque Country, Spain. He was known for being a very strong climber and good at individual time trials.
Contents
Joseba Beloki's Cycling Career
Joseba Beloki started his professional cycling career in 1998. He joined different teams over the years, including Euskaltel, FES, and ONCE. He quickly became one of the top riders in the world.
Success in the Tour de France
Beloki was especially successful in the Tour de France, one of the biggest cycling races. He finished on the podium three times in a row:
- In 2000, he came in 3rd place.
- In 2001, he also finished 3rd.
- In 2002, he achieved his best result, finishing 2nd.
He was a consistent top performer in these tough races. In 2001, he also won the overall title at the Volta a Catalunya, another important stage race.
A Difficult Crash and Recovery
On July 14, 2003, during the Tour de France, Joseba Beloki had a very serious crash. He was in second place overall, very close behind the leader. While going down a hill, his bike slipped on a soft patch of road. He fell hard and broke his right leg in two places. He also broke his elbow and wrist. This crash was a major setback for his career.
After the crash, Beloki worked hard to recover. He tried to return to racing in 2004 with a new team. However, his injuries took longer to heal than expected. He had to stop racing in some events because of the pain. He switched teams later that year and again in 2005. He managed to finish the 2005 Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, but he was not able to reach the top positions he had before.
In 2006, Beloki was part of a big investigation in Spain related to cycling. However, Spanish officials cleared him of any wrongdoing. He continued to deny any involvement in illegal activities.
Joseba Beloki's Family
Joseba Beloki's son, Markel Beloki, has also become a professional cyclist. This shows that cycling talent runs in their family!
Career Highlights
Joseba Beloki had many impressive results during his cycling career. Here are some of his major achievements:
- 1997: Won the overall title at Vuelta a Alava.
- 1999: Finished 3rd in the Spanish National Road Race Championships.
- 2000: Won the overall title at Vuelta a Asturias. He also finished 3rd overall in the Tour de France.
- 2001: Won the overall title at Volta a Catalunya. He also finished 3rd overall in the Tour de France again.
- 2002: Finished 2nd overall in the Tour de France. He also came in 3rd overall in the Vuelta a España.
- 2003: Won the overall title at Clasica Alcobendas.
Images for kids
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Joseba Beloki on Col de Peyresourde in 2005
See also
In Spanish: Joseba Beloki para niños
