Álex Crivillé
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Álex Crivillé (born March 4, 1970 in Barcelona, Spain) is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. In 1999, he became the first Spaniard to win the 500cc World Championship.
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[edit] Pre 500 cc
Crivillé falsified his age in order to start racing at 14 in 1985, the minimum age for a license being 15 in Spain. In that year he won the Criterium Solo Moto, a national series for 75 cc Honda streetbikes.[1]
Crivillé started his international career in the now-defunct 80cc World Championship, taking a 2nd place in his very first race in 1987. He was second overall in 1988, also dabbling in the 125cc series, which he raced fulltime in 1989. He won the 125cc World Championship in his first attempt riding for the JJ Cobas team, claiming 5 victories.
In 1990 he stepped up to the 250 cc class for Giacomo Agostini's team, before returning to the Cobas team a year later. He never did win a 250 cc race.
[edit] 500 cc
Nonetheless, Crivillé joined the Sito Pons team in 500cc for 1992, taking 8th overall, and his first win at Assen. In 1993, he again finished 8th in the championship. 1994 was his first year as a full factory Honda rider, as Mick Doohan's team-mate on the Repsol-backed Hondas which would dominate 500cc and MotoGP racing in years to come. Crivillé was 4th in 1995 and 1997, runner-up in 1996 with 11 podium finishes, and 3rd in 1998.
Doohan's career-ending crash in 1999 opened the door for Crivillé, and he took six wins, including his 100th 500 cc start at Donington Park [2], clinching the championship with a race to spare. However, he finished 9th in 2000 and 8th in 2001 (with a third place at Jerez). Fired by Repsol Honda, he planned to spend the 2002 MotoGP season with the D'Antin Yamaha team, but was forced to retire due to undetermined health problems, the main symptom being fainting spells that started during the 2000 pre-season[3], and had continued over the following 2 years.[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Noyes, D. "Dreams Come True", pages 37-38. Motocourse 1999-2000, Scott, M. (ed.) Richmond: Hazleton Publishing Ltd, 1999.
- ^ Jennings, B.: Injured Criville takes the race and the championship lead, May 7 1999.
- ^ Motocourse 2000-2001, Scott, M. (ed.) Page 36. Richmond: Hazleton Publishing Ltd, 2000.
- ^ Motorcycling: Criville not forced out by epilepsy The Independent, February 21, 2002.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Michael Doohan |
500cc Motorcycle World Champion 1999 |
Succeeded by Kenny Roberts, jr. |
| Preceded by Jorge Martínez |
125cc Motorcycle World Champion 1989 |
Succeeded by Loris Capirossi |
