MotoGP champ Lorenzo retires

VALENCIA, Spain: Three-times MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo, who suffered a fractured spine this season, said Thursday he would retire following the Valencia Grand Prix.

The 32-year-old Spaniard who rides for Honda and claimed the world title in 2010, 2012 and 2015 told a press conference he was pulling out following Sunday’s Valencia race, the last grand prix of the season.

The rider who was also twice crowned 250cc champion was retained for next season by Honda but has suffered from poor form and serious injuries this season. “This will be my last race in MotoGP and after this I am retiring from professional racing,” Lorenzo said. “I’ve always thought there are four significant days in the life of a rider — the first one is when it’s your first race, the second one is your first win, then your first world championship — not everyone can win the world championship, but some of us made it,” Lorenzo said.