Ricardo Tormo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ricardo Tormo |
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| Nationality | Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 September 1952 Canals, Valencia, Spain |
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| Died | 27 December 1998 (aged 46) Valencia, Spain |
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Ricardo Tormo Blaya (born September 7, 1952 – died December 27, 1998) was a famous Spanish professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1973 to 1984. Ricardo was a two-time world champion in the 50cc category, riding for the Bultaco team. Today, a race track in Valencia, Spain, is named the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in his honor.
Contents
Ricardo Tormo: A Racing Legend
Ricardo Tormo was born in a small village called Alacor in Spain. This village is part of the Canals area in the Valencia province. When he was 8 years old, his family moved into the center of Canals. Ricardo loved motorcycle racing and became very good at it.
Becoming a World Champion
In 1978, Ricardo won his first 50cc world championship. He was part of the Bultaco factory racing team. He was so good that he won the 50cc world championship again in 1981. This time, he rode a Bultaco motorcycle with private support.
Ricardo was also a champion in Spain. He won the 50cc Spanish national championship three times. He also won the 125cc national championship four times. His racing journey was often linked to another famous racer, Ángel Nieto. They were sometimes teammates and sometimes rivals on the track.
An Unexpected End to His Career
In 1983, Ricardo Tormo joined the Derbi factory team. He teamed up with Jorge “Aspar” Martínez. They planned to compete for the 1984 world championship in a new 80cc category.
At the first race of 1984 in Misano, Ricardo's engine broke down. The next race was supposed to be at Spain's Jarama Circuit. Back then, Spain only had two official race tracks. These were in Jarama and Calafat.
The team wanted to practice before the race. However, both official tracks were already booked. So, they had to practice in Martorelles, an industrial area near the Derbi factory. The team sometimes used these roads for testing. They would block off the roads to keep cars away.
Sadly, during one practice session, a car entered the area. One of the team's assistants was supposed to have blocked all roads. Ricardo, who was testing a new racing suit, hit the car. He badly injured his right leg. This accident meant he could no longer race. It also led to many surgeries for him.
Legacy and Honor
In 1994, Ricardo Tormo received a very special award. He was given the Valencian Community's High Distinction award. This is the highest honor in Valencia. He also worked with a journalist named Paco Desamparados to write his life story. The book was called "Yo Ricardo. Una vida por y para la moto" (I am Ricardo. A life by and for motorcycles).
On December 27, 1998, Ricardo Tormo passed away. He had been battling leukemia for many years. To honor his memory, the race track in Valencia was renamed the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo.
Images for kids
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Ricardo Tormo's autograph.
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Ricardo Tormo's racing helmet.
See also
In Spanish: Ricardo Tormo para niños
