Joseba and Joane

There is news about Joseba Beloki at the Daily Peloton page.

There is also mention of a Basque rider who is now leading the Tour de France for women, here are the two notes:

Joseba Beloki news

ONCE's Joseba Beloki has great challenges ahead of him - his rehabilitation after his serious injury in the Tour de France, the announcement that his team's sponsor is withdrawing from cycling sponsorship at the end of this season, and the birth of his daughter Aintzane last week.

Because of the birth of his daughter, Beloki had not yet spoken with his team director Manolo Saiz at the time of his interview with Marca.com, but said that the announcement would change everything for him, since he thought the sponsor would go forward another year. He said that ONCE discontinuing its sponsorship is worse than his fall in the Tour.

While he knows there are other teams that would be a possibility for him, he says there are few that are Tour teams, which is his goal, since he believes he can win. He is not particularly concerned with the fact that the season is in its latter stages and he is in a wheelchair with many months of rehabilitation ahead of him, but said that in view of his present situation he needs to have his future resolved by the Clasica San Sebastian, which is next week.

Beloki is currently undergoing rehabilitation for his elbow and hip, and will try, as best he can from a wheelchair, to assist his wife Gemma with their new baby girl.

Joane Somarriba in the Grand Boucle

In related international women's news, two time Grand Boucle winner Joane Somarriba told Portalciclista this weekend before she left for the Tour that she is especially motivated in this edition, as it will be her last - she will stop competing in 2004 and focus on the Athens Olympic Games. The legendary Spanish rider will turn 31 next week, on the Grand Boucle's eighth stage.

Somarriba said she was going to the Tour feeling well, particulary for the mountains, though she is not sure how she will do against her rivals. She said this won't be a typical Tour, that it will be decided in the beginning, since the first five stages are mountains and the time trial is on the penultimate day. However, she says she has trained a lot, taken care and rested, and has peace of mind going into the race. Her intention is to win, and she says, "Now, the important thing is that health and luck accompany."

Somarriba won the Grand Boucle in 2000 and 2001, she also won the Women's Giro d'Italia in 1999 and 2000, and in 2000 the final general classification in the Emakumeen Bira. This year and last year she won the Emakumen Saria.

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