Shortly after receiving confirmation of Ryan Villopoto's Retirement from his team, we also received the below open letter from Ryan Villopoto
"It is with gratitude, humility, a bit of sadness but without regret, that I announce my retirement from motorcycle racing today.
As many of you know, I experienced a pretty horrendous crash back in April that left me with multiple fractures in my tailbone along with soft tissue damage. My initial thought was that I could be back riding in a few weeks if I just stayed quiet for a while.
That has not proven to be the case. Follow-up X-Rays have made clear that I also suffered severe compression of multiple disks in my lower back. I am still in significant discomfort and I realize that even if I start my fitness program and training now that I been cleared by my physician, I will not be able, prior to the end of the MXGP season, to achieve the fitness necessary for me to compete at the level I have always striven for.
I am grateful for having had the opportunity to do something I have loved since I was a kid and turn it into my livelihood. I am grateful for the support of my family for all the years they spent hauling my bikes and me around to races, interrupting their lives in the process.
I am grateful for the support of my many sponsors through the years. What people don‰Ûªt often think about, when it comes to individual ‰ÛÏaction‰Û
