Champion motorcycle racer. Born Santiago (Santi) Ruiz Herrero in Madrid, Spain, he entered - and won - his first motorcycle race on a 50cc Derbi. A month later he was chosen for the Spanish Luce team and raced their 125cc machine. In 1966 he joined the Spanish Ossa team and became the National 250cc Champion in 1966, 1967 and 1969, and in 1969 he missed out on winning the World 250cc Championship by a fraction when he crashed during the final Grand Prix. In 1970 he competed in the Isle of Man TT Lightweight 250cc race. He crashed at Bradden Bridge but remounted and caught and passed Stan Woods. As they approached the fast left hander at the 13th Milestone, Herrero's Ossa wobbled on the melting tar and he crashed into an earth bank at 160kph. Woods also crashed avoiding the bike and rider. Herrero sustained such severe injuries he died two days later at Nobles Hospital, Douglas. After only three years of GP racing, his brief time at the top had come to an end. Ossa were grief stricken and withdrew from motorcycle road racing after his death.
Champion motorcycle racer. Born Santiago (Santi) Ruiz Herrero in Madrid, Spain, he entered - and won - his first motorcycle race on a 50cc Derbi. A month later he was chosen for the Spanish Luce team and raced their 125cc machine. In 1966 he joined the Spanish Ossa team and became the National 250cc Champion in 1966, 1967 and 1969, and in 1969 he missed out on winning the World 250cc Championship by a fraction when he crashed during the final Grand Prix. In 1970 he competed in the Isle of Man TT Lightweight 250cc race. He crashed at Bradden Bridge but remounted and caught and passed Stan Woods. As they approached the fast left hander at the 13th Milestone, Herrero's Ossa wobbled on the melting tar and he crashed into an earth bank at 160kph. Woods also crashed avoiding the bike and rider. Herrero sustained such severe injuries he died two days later at Nobles Hospital, Douglas. After only three years of GP racing, his brief time at the top had come to an end. Ossa were grief stricken and withdrew from motorcycle road racing after his death.
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