Joseba Beloki
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro |
| Born |
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) | |
Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro (born 12 August 1973) is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer.
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, 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, 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. Beloki suffered a hard fall that broke his right femur in two places, his elbow and his wrist. 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.
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