Spanish 13-time world champion racer in serious condition after accident
Ibiza (Spain) July 26 (IANS) Spanish motorcycling legend Ãngel Nieto a 13-time Grand Prix world champion in two categories on Wednesday suffered a road accident while driving a quad bike on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza that left him seriously injured officials said.
Nieto 70 was rushed to the hospital with a strong blow to the head after his ATV collided with a car at a traffic circle in Santa Eulária on the road to the town of Santa Gertrudis located in the centre of the Balearic island reports Efe.
According to sources in Santa Eulária s municipal government the accident took place at 10.25 a.m. local time.
Local newspaper Diario de Ibiza cited the car s driver as saying she had not seen Nieto had braked while approaching the crossroads and crashed into him from behind.
Nieto s relatives told Efe that he was hospitalised at the Rosario Polyclinic. They added he was being subjected to diverse medical tests and awaiting a diagnosis.
Santa Eulária local police said they were investigating the accident s cause.
Nieto won 13 Grand Prix World Championships between 1969 and 84 -- eight in the 50cc category and five with 125cc engine capacity.
However being extremely superstitious and a notorious triskaidekaphobe he always referred to his championship tally as 12+1 and used those numbers in his autographs.
Considered by many in the motorcycling world to be one of history s greatest racers -- despite competing in "smaller" categories and never in MotoGP -- he is also the uncle of former Superbike and 250 cc GP racer Fonsi Nieto.
The year 2017 has been a particularly bad year for motorcycling racers: former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden was also involved in a serious road accident earlier in the year which ultimately cost him his life.
Hayden an American racer who was nicknamed "The Kentucky Kid" was out riding a bicycle with friends on roads near Italy s Adriatic Coast when he was hit by a car causing severe head and chest trauma that eventually led to his death on May 22.
--IANS
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