The Laureus are a popular and upscale event which aims to be for the whole of sport what the Oscars are for cinema. If they are therefore only symbolic, these “Laureus Awards” are nevertheless sought after and the motorcycle will be part of them this year thanks to Marc Marquez who is not at his first appearance in the landscape…
Spanish Marc Marquez was nominated for the Laureus awards in the 'Comeback of the year' category, following his reappearance in the 2021 season after the very serious injury which left absent for the entire 2020 season. This is the fourth nomination for Márquez to the Laureus. The first dates back to 2014, when he won what is his only award to date and the last that motorcycling has won: that of “Revelation of the Year” after winning the world title MotoGP as a rookie in 2013. He was later nominated twice for being the "Male Athlete" in 2015 and 2020.
This is therefore its first nomination in this category, where motorcycling had already been represented twice with Valentino Rossi. The Doctor won it in 2011 after returning from injury suffered in 2010, and was nominated again in 2018, due to his rapid reappearance after the fractured tibia and fibula he suffered during the 2017 campaign .
The Laureus awards are recognition for motorcycles
On this occasion, Marc Marquez is aiming for the prize after spending almost a year injured before returning to the top step of the MotoGP podium. A rank won on three occasions after a blank year. It won't be easy for the Spanish rider to win his second Laureus, as the competition in his category promises to be fierce: American gymnast Simone Biles, British skater Sky Brown, British cyclist Mark Cavendish, British trampoline specialist Tom Daley and Dutch cyclist Annemiek Van Vleuten are his rivals.
With the appointment of Marc Marquez, motorcycling continues a streak of five consecutive years with a presence at the Laureus. After the aforementioned appointment of Red in 2018, that ofAna Carrasco in 2019 for 'Revelation of the Year', and after the nomination of Marc Marquez itself in 2020, it is Joan mir who was in the running for “Revelation of the Year” in 2021.
In its entire history, motorcycling has only won three prizes with two riders: Red won the 'Spirit of Sport' in 2006 and the 'Return of the Year' in 2011, with Márquez winning 'Revelation of the year' in 2014. In addition to Rossi, Márquez, Carrasco and Mir, five other motorcycle riders were nominated: Travis Pastrana (twice), Dani Pedrosa, Jeremy Stanberg, Casey Stoner and Levi Sherwood.
