In 1999, Álex Crivillé began the golden era of Spanish motorcycling by becoming the 500cc world champion – which, at the time, was the premier category. He achieved several victories and podium finishes throughout the season, clinching the title in the penultimate round – which he competed in with an injury, but still managed to finish sixth in Rio de Janeiro.
The former rider told Motorbike Magazine what he remembers from the championship-winning year: ‘The races, the concentration, the race in Rio that had to be finished and I competed with a fractured wrist. That end of the season was tough, but at the same time easy, because it was accessible to finish in the top ten. And that’s what we did. And then the home victories that I always enjoyed – people lived them up close, with a lot of passion: Jerez, Barcelona too‘.
In addition to the competition itself, Crivillé also remembered his father throughout 1999: ‘I thought about my father, who passed away in 1998 and I won in 1999, so he couldn’t celebrate that title. I think he would have been very happy to see me crowned as world champion, because he suffered a lot. He never watched the races‘
