Ángel Nieto Roldán (25 January 1947 – 3 August 2017) was a Spanish professional Grand Prix motorcycle racer. He was one of the most accomplished motorcycle racers in the history of the sport, winning 13 World Championships and 90 Grand Prix victories in a racing career that spanned twenty-three years from 1964 to 1986, mainly competing in 50cc, 80cc and 125cc displacement classes respectively.50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix (1st edition). Hazelton Publishing Ltd, 1999. His total of 90 Grand Prix victories ranks him fourth only to Giacomo Agostini (122), Valentino Rossi (115) and Marc Márquez (100).Ángel Nieto career statistics at MotoGP.com In 2011, Nieto was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements.

Motorcycle racing career Nieto specialized in racing small displacement bikes such as in the 50 cc, 80 cc and 125 cc classes but many fellow racers, including former world champion Barry Sheene consider him among the greatest motorcycle racers of all time. Though he was never successful at the world level racing in the larger displacements, he won Spanish National Championships in the 50 cc, 125 cc, 250 cc, 500 cc and 750 cc classes. He retired in 1986 at the age of 39 with a total of 90 Grand Prix victories and 13 World Championships. Due to his triskaidekaphobia, he preferred to refer to his championship tally as "12+1".

Later, Nieto operated a Grand Prix motorcycle racing team with two riders – his son, Ángel Nieto Jr. and Emilio Alzamora, who won the 125 cc title. He commentated on Grand Prix races for Spanish television. There is an Ángel Nieto museum in Madrid that displays some of his trophies and racing memorabilia. The FIM named him a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2000.MotoGP Legends at MotoGP.com Nieto attended the 2008 French Grand Prix at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit on 18 May 2008, dressed to ride with a special shirt congratulating Valentino Rossi for equalling Nieto's 90 wins. Nieto mounted Rossi's bike, and Rossi as a passenger held a flag aloft with "90 + 90", as they took a victory lap.Rossi wins French MotoGP , AFP, 19 May 2008

Personal life and death Nieto had been living in Ibiza for many years. His two sons, Ángel Jr. and Pablo, both followed their father into motorcycle racing, as well as his nephew Fonsi Nieto.

On 26 July 2017, Nieto was hit by a car while driving his quad bike in Ibiza. He was taken to a hospital with a head trauma where he was put into a medically-induced coma and underwent surgery; his condition had been called "serious but not critical". On 3 August, his condition significantly worsened after being woken from his coma. He died the same day, aged 70.

Nieto on the big screen A documentary called Ángel Nieto: 12+1, directed by Álvaro Fernández Armero, was released in 2005. The film covers his entire career and a wide array of competitors, cyclists inspired by him and reporters who covered his career contribute their opinions and impressions regarding his fight to achieve and sustain his goal of world champion. The 1973 year, when Nieto raced with the 125 Morbidelli, is also recalled in the documentary Morbidelli – a story of men and fast motorcycles, released in 2014 and directed by Jeffrey Zani and Matthew Gonzales.

Honours 1982: Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Civil Merit. 1993: Knight Grand Cross in the Royal Order of Sports Merit. In 2018, the Circuito de Jerez, which has hosted the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix since 1989, was officially renamed to Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto.

Complete Grand Prix motorcycle racing results Points system from 1964 to 1968: Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 Points 8 6 4 3 2 1

Points system from 1969 onwards: Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Points Rank Wins 1964 50cc Derbi USA- ESP5 FRA- IOM- NED- BEL- GER- FIN- JPN- 2 10th 0 1965 50cc Derbi USA- GER5 ESP- FRA- IOM- NED- BEL- JPN- 2 12th 0 1966 50cc Derbi ESP5 GER- NED- IOM- NAT- JPN- 3 6th 0 1967 50cc Derbi ESP6 GER- FRA5 IOM- NED2 BEL4 JPN- 12 4th 0 1968 50cc Derbi GER- ESP2IOMRet NED- BEL3 10 4th 0 1969 50cc Derbi ESP2 GER- FRA2 NED- BEL- DDR1 CZE3 ULS1 NAT- YUG2 761st2 1970 50cc Derbi GER1 FRA1 YUG1 NED1 BEL2 DDR3 CZE- ULS1 NAT- ESP4871st5 125cc Derbi GER- FRA- YUG2 IOM- NED- BEL1 DDR1 CZE- FIN- NAT1 ESP1 72 2nd 4 1971 50cc Derbi AUT2 GER3 NED1 BEL3 DDR1 CZE- SWE1 NAT2 ESP- 69 2nd 3 125cc Derbi AUT1 GER- IOM- NED1 BEL- DDR1 CZE1 SWE- FIN- NAT2 ESP1871st5 1972 50cc Derbi GER2 NAT2 YUG2 NED1 BEL1 DDR- SWE- ESP1691st3 125cc Derbi GERDNS FRA- AUT1 NAT1 IOM- YUG- NED1 BEL1 DDR- CZE- SWE1 FIN2 ESP3971st5 1973 125cc Morbidelli FRA- AUT3 GER2 NAT- IOM- YUG- NED- BEL2 CZE- SWE- FIN- ESP2 46 7th 0 1974 125cc Derbi FRA- GER- AUT2 NAT1 NED- BEL1 SWE- CZE- YUG2 ESP5 60 3rd 2 1975 50cc Kreidler ESP1 GER1 NAT1 NED1 BEL2 SWE2 FIN1 YUG1751st61976 50cc Bultaco FRARet NAT1 YUG- NED1 BEL2 SWE1 FIN- GER1 ESP1 851st5 125cc Bultaco AUT4 NAT3 YUG- NED3 BEL1 SWE2 FIN- GER- ESP2 67 2nd 11977 50cc Bultaco GER3 NAT3 ESP1 YUG1 NED1 BEL3 SWE2 871st3 125cc Bultaco VEN1 AUT- GER6 NAT5 ESP- FRA- YUG2 NED1 BEL2 SWE1 FIN- GBR- 80 3rd 31978 50cc Bultaco ESP- NAT- NED- BEL- GER2 CZE- YUG- 12 11th 0125cc Bultaco VEN- ESP- AUT- FRA- NAT7 NED- 882nd4 Minarelli BEL2 SWE2 FIN1 GBR1 GER1 YUG1 1979 125cc Minarelli VEN1 AUT1 GER1 NAT1 ESP1 YUG1 NED1 BEL- SWE- FIN- GBR1 CZE- FRA-1201st8 1980 125cc Minarelli NAT5 ESP- FRA1 YUG- NED1 BEL1 FIN1 GBR- CZE- GER2 78 3rd 41981 125cc Minarelli ARG1 AUT1 GER1 NAT4 FRA1 ESP1YUGRet NED1 SM2 GBR1 FIN1 SWE-1401st8 250cc Siroco-Rotax ARG- GER5 NAT- FRA- ESP- NED- BEL- RSM- GBR- FIN- SWE- CZE- 6 23rd 0 1982 125cc Garelli ARG1 AUT1 FRA- ESP1 NAT1 NED1 BEL5 YUG3 GBR1 SWE6 FIN- CZE-1111st61983 125cc Garelli FRANC NAT1 GER1 ESP1 AUT1 YUG11 NED1 BEL2 GBR1 SWEDNQ RSMDNF 1021st6 250cc Yamaha RSA- FRA- NAT- GER- ESPNC AUTNC YUGNC NED- BEL- GBR- SWE- 0 – 01984 125cc Garelli NAT1 ESP1 GER1 FRA1 NED1 GBR1 SWE- RSMDNF901st6 250cc Garelli RSA- NATNC ESP- AUT- GER- FRA- YUG- NED- BEL- GBR- SWE- RSM- 0 – 0 1985 80cc Derbi ESP- GER- NAT- YUG- NEDNC FRA1 RSMNC 15 9th 11986 80cc Derbi ESP2 NATNC GER4 AUT8 YUG4 NED4 GBRNC SWE- RSM5 BWUNC 45 7th 0 125cc Ducados ESP- NAT2 GER- AUT- NED10 BEL- FRA9 GBR- SWE- RSM- BWU- 15 13th 0

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External links

Ángel Nieto museum photographs Ángel Nieto documentary film