Ricardo Tormo

Ricardo Tormo was a Spanish professional motorcycle road racer, born Ricardo Tormo Blaya on 7 September 1952 in Alacor in the municipality of Canals, Valencia, and died on 27 December 1998. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1973 to 1984 and is best remembered as a two-time 50cc world champion on Bultaco machines, winning the title in 1978 with the factory team and again in 1981 on a privately backed bike. He was also a three-time 50cc and four-time 125cc Spanish national champion, and his career was closely linked to that of his teammate and rival Angel Nieto. In 1983 he signed with Derbi for the new 80cc class, but a collision with a car while testing a racing suit before the 1984 Spanish Grand Prix shattered his right leg and ended his racing career. He died of leukemia, and the Valencia circuit was renamed the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in his honor.