Joseba Beloki

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Beloki and the second or maternal family name is Dorronsoro.
Joseba Beloki
Personal information
Full name Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro
Born (1973-08-12) 12 August 1973
Lazkao, Basque Country, Spain
Team information
Current team Retired
Discipline Road
Role Rider
Rider type Climbing specialist
Professional team(s)
1998–1999 Euskaltel–Euskadi
2000 Festina
2001–2003 ONCE–Eroski
2004 Brioches La Boulangère
2004 Saunier Duval–Prodir
2005–2006 Liberty Seguros–Würth
Major wins
Volta a Catalunya (2001)
Infobox last updated on
22 December 2007

Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro (born 12 August 1973) is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer.

Biography

Beloki turned professional in 1998 with Euskaltel-Euskadi, joined Festina in 2000, and then Team ONCE in 2001. A strong climber in the high mountains and a top performer in individual time trials, he made it to the podium in each of his first three rides in the Tour de France: in 2000 (3rd place), 2001 (3rd place) and 2002 (2nd place). He is the only runner-up during Lance Armstrong's run of seven consecutive Tour wins to have not been found guilty of doping,[1] though he was not retroactively awarded the 2002 yellow jersey after Armstrong's wins were stripped. In 2001, Beloki also finished first overall in the Volta a Catalunya.

On 14 July 2003, during the 9th stage of the 2003 Tour de France, Beloki was in second place overall (just 40 seconds behind Armstrong) and negotiating a turn at speed while descending from Cote de La Rochette, shortly after passing the Col de Manse,[2] just 4 km from the stage finish at Gap. He lost control of his bicycle after he locked his rear brake and the rear tyre came off the wheel on a patch of tarmac that was softened by the sun, sending his rear wheel skidding first in one direction and then the other.[3] Beloki suffered a hard fall that broke his right femur in two places, his elbow and his wrist.[4] Armstrong was following immediately behind Beloki and, to avoid the fallen rider, headed off the road to go down the hill through the underbrush and across a small field. The crash effectively ended Beloki's career as a premier bicycle racer.

For the 2004 season, Beloki opted to sign for the French team Brioches La Boulangère in preparation for the 2004 Tour de France. He was reported as being fully recovered from his injuries by early 2004, but it later transpired that those injuries were taking longer to heal than initially anticipated. By mid-April 2004, Beloki had yet to begin serious competition for the season. He started his home race, the Tour of the Basque Country, but failed to even complete the first stage before retiring in pain from his injuries. Citing incompatibility with the French team, he switched to the Spanish Saunier Duval-Prodir team for the remainder of the 2004 season. Beloki switched back to Manolo Saiz's team (now called Liberty Seguros-Würth) for 2005. Beloki completed the 2005 Tour de France and finished in 75th place. In the Vuelta a España, he also completed the race without being recognized, since he was only 39th overall.

In 2006 he was among those implicated in Operación Puerto and was withdrawn from the Tour de France. However, on 26 July he was cleared by Spanish officials of any wrongdoing.[5] Payment records from Beloki as well as his race schedule were found in Eufemiano Fuentes' possession in his office; however, Beloki denies any claim he doped with Fuentes.[6]

Career achievements

Major results

1998 – Euskaltel-Euskadi
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1999 – Euskaltel-Euskadi
3rd Overall Spanish National Road Race Championships
4th Overall Volta a Catalunya
2000 – Festina-Lotus
1st Overall Vuelta a Asturias
2nd, Overall, Tour of Romandie
1st Stage 3b (ITT)
3rd Overall Tour de France
6th Overall Vuelta a Aragon
2001 – ONCE-Eroski
1st Overall Volta a Catalunya
1st Points Classification
1st, Stage 1 (TTT), Stage 4, Stage 8 (ITT)
3rd Overall Tour de France
2002 – ONCE-Eroski
2nd Overall Tour de France
3rd Overall Vuelta a Espana
1st, Stage 1 (TTT)
Held Golden Jersey from Stages 1-4
3rd Overall Vuelta a Asturias
8th Giro di Lombardia
2003 – ONCE-Eroski
1st Overall Clasica Alcobendas
Stage 2b
Stage 5 Euskal Bizikleta
DNF, Stage 9, Tour de France (2nd overall prior to injury)
2004 – Saunier Duval-Prodir and Brioches La Boulangère
-
2005 – Liberty Seguros-Würth
75th, Overall, Tour de France
2006 – Liberty Seguros-Würth/Team Astana
-

Grand Tour General classification results timeline

Grand Tour 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Pink jersey Giro DNF
Yellow jerseyTour 3 3 2 DNF 75
red jersey Vuelta 3 DNF 40

WD = withdrew

References

General
Specific
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