Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/858916
IN THE WIND P38 VALE ANGEL NIETO A somber overlay shrouded the Czech Republic GP, with news coming the evening before practice that racing legend Angel Nieto had succumbed to injuries incurred a few days before in a road accident. He was 70. A 13-time World Cham- pion in the smaller classes (superstitious, he pre- ferred to call it "12 plus one" championships), Nieto was second only to Agostini in the number of titles, and third in the world with 90 race wins (Ago with 122 and Rossi with 115). Nieto won six 50cc championships and seven in 125s on five different makes: Bultaco, Derbi, Garelli, Kreidler and Minarelli. He named Barry Sheene as his most respected rival, although the Brit- ish rider had rapidly moved up to the 500cc class, leaving the tid- dlers behind. Nieto came to GP racing 1970, winning four races in his first season and finishing second in the championship on a Derbi. He retired in 1986 at the age of 39. By then, he was the pioneer of a surge of Spanish interest in mo- torcycle racing, which continues to this day, and had become a much-loved and respected elder statesman. Nieto remained a major MotoGP pad- dock figure, formerly as a team manager, more recently as a TV commentator, and throughout as a friend, mentor, advisor and inspiration to several generations of Spanish riders. His sons Pablo and Angel Ju- nior, as well as his nephew Fonsi Nieto, all raced in GPs, and Pablo runs Rossi's SKY VR46 Moto3 team. Nieto was injured when his quad was hit by a tourist's car on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza on July 26. He suffered head injuries and was put into an induced coma. Doctors had an encouraging prognosis and started to bring him out of the coma, but on August 3 his condi- tion suddenly deteriorated, and he died later that afternoon. Tributes to Nieto came from far and wide, including at a restrained but quietly emotional press announcement by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, who spoke of Nieto as not only a great champion but also an unforget- table personality, and a close friend. Marc Marquez said of Nieto: "He was one of the first legends, and he came to me at the begin- ning. We spent a lot of time in his motorhome, watching football." Valentino Rossi also had memories of him and his physical fitness and "power" as he ap- proached his 70s. "Last week his mother turned 100. I remember maybe five years ago we went out in Ibiza. After all night, at about 5 a.m., I wanted to go to bed, but Angel said 'No, no; there is another club we need to visit!'" Michael Scott (Above) The MotoGP family pays their respects to the man known as the Little Maestro. (Left) Angel Nieto was a larger-than-life character in the MotoGP paddock.