Barcelona native Ruben Xaus began riding dirt bikes at just five years old. By 14, he was competing in the National 125cc Championship and soon after captured the national Supermoto title. In 1995 he finished third in the Spanish Supersport Championship and, that same year, made his world championship debut with four appearances in the 250cc class. He later moved to Superbikes, taking sixth place in the 1998 German Championship before spending two seasons in the World Supersport Championship, where he made a name for himself with standout performances and two race wins. From 2001, Xaus competed in the World Superbike Championship with Ducati, becoming a regular podium finisher on four-stroke machines and taking the runner-up spot in 2003. In 2004 he stepped up to the MotoGP World Championship with the satellite D’Antin Ducati team. He quickly adapted, consistently scoring points and achieving his first podium in Qatar, a season that earned him the Rookie of the Year award and 11th place in the overall standings. He moved to the Fortuna Yamaha team in 2005 to ride alongside his friend Toni Elias. However, the Yamaha’s abrupt power delivery, combined with a difficult chassis and Xaus’s aggressive riding style, made for a far tougher campaign. He endured numerous crashes, finishing 16th overall with a best result of 10th place—far from the promise he had shown the year before. 2006 saw him return to the WorldSBK circuit, where he would go on to finish his career in 2011. There were a couple of victories and podiums to celebrate, but he never reached the heights of 2003 again.