Road Bike Racing - Joseba to require surgery

It states that the break of his elbow is severe.


GAP, France

ONCE rider Joseba Beloki fractured his right thigh bone after crashing on a descent four kilometers from the ninth stage finish of the Tour today. Beloki was rushed to a local hospital where scans revealed multiple breaks that, according to an official medical report, will need surgery.

The 29-year-old Spaniard is also being diagnosed with a "complicated fracture of the right elbow" and a "clean fracture of the right wrist." He was just 40 seconds behind Lance Armstrong in the overall standings when his tire blew and he was hurled to the ground.

Armstrong, nearly hitting Beloki, detoured his bike through a field and rejoined the race for the final kilometers. (read Armstrong Goes Off Road.)

"His tyre exploded in front of me," Armstrong said. "I just saw the pictures. Beloki was just in front of me and I think he fell because of the tarmac," added Armstrong, who finished in fourth behind
stage winner Alexandre Vinokourov.

Armstrong leads Vinokourov by 21 seconds in the overall standings, with Spanish climber Iban Mayo in third at 1:10.

Beloki, who has made the podium for the past three years on the Tour, was termed a main rival for Armstrong earlier this year.

Fortunately, Beloki was wearing a helmet, a new rule passed by the International Cycling Union this spring after the fatal crash of Cofidis rider Andrei Kivilev.

It's very sad that such a brave contender's TdF ended this way. I wish him a speedy recovery from his numerous fractures and the best of luck with the impending birth of he and his wife's new baby.
All best Joseba.

This could put Beloki's career in serious doubt and that's sad.

I've always thought that Beloki got dissed in some quarters in years past b/c he couldn't quite beat LA. I always preferred to look at the fact that he's one of the very few riders in recent years with podium finishes in two Gran Tours (TdF and Vuelta).

This year he was much more aggressive and really taking it to LA. Would he have cracked LA? Probably not. Who knows? The point is he was giving it his all and making this a great Tour so far. I think others will continue to attack but he'll be missed.

I just came out of surgery a few weeks ago myself so I emphasize as well as sympathise. I doubt he'll be back this year but I hope for next.

damn i hope he can continue cycling. that wreck was horrible, you could hear him screaming in pain whenever the cameras went back to him on the side of the road.

That was a horrible crash. I really feel for the guy - God he hit that road hard. I hope that he can return to bike racing. And now Lance's competition has been severely diminished which also really sucks. ...what a total bummer.

Originally posted by Walter
This year he was much more aggressive and really taking it to LA. Would he have cracked LA? Probably not. Who knows? The point is he was giving it his all and making this a great Tour so far. I think others will continue to attack but he'll be missed.

Would he have cracked LA? yeah... quite possibly. alot of people keep saying that Lance is guaranteed victory... but they so easily forget that it could just as easily have been Lance that fell instead of Beloki. The Tour is just as much about luck as it is about skill.

what if that hairpin turn was a cliff and not a field?

i've had a tough time holding a line in the hot sun when my tire hit some melted tar. but going around a hairpin turn at those speeds?

perhaps he was preoccupied with having LA on his tail, but that was unbelievable. this was a good bike handler. an experienced bike handler.

Originally posted by RiPHRaPH
what if that hairpin turn was a cliff and not a field?


I hear that 'what if' thing often. (I guess I'm a racing nerd)
Just like everyone was saying 'what if there was a barrier there...' on a hairpin that M Shumacher overshot in an F1 race recently.

If there was a cliff, I doubt they would have been riding into the corner as hard.
If there was a cliff, Lance wouldn't have diverted to the left in the first place. He would have tried to get by Beloki on the inside.


Originally posted by deliriou5
but they so easily forget that it could just as easily have been Lance that fell instead of Beloki.

I feel really bad for Beloki, but he made a mistake. Why do you say it would have just as easily been Lance? Lance was more careful. The reason he was far enough behind Beloki to keep from crashing with him was because he entered the corner easier. It wasn't luck.

Not to imply his injuries weren't serious, but it is common for elite cyclists to have breaks repaired surgically. The procedure significantly reduces recovery time and the bones are more likely to heal in proper alignment. Remember Floyd Landis's wreck last year? A simple break, but it was also repaired surgically.

Lance did slide, he just saved it. Really sad fo Beloki.

Jeff

as i said in another post that beloki said he would think about his future if he did not win the tour. since it is worse i think he will make a premature retirement.

As well as he was doing, I can't imagine him retiring.