Unforgiven
12-07-2008, 11:36 PM
I for one would love to see this!
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Dec/081203b46.htm
Rossi vs. Bayliss In WSBK?
by dean adams
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
It was heavily rumored at the Portugal round of the World Superbike championship that Yamaha rider and reigning MotoGP champ Valentino Rossi had considered entering the race and was upset that he didn't after seeing the event on television.
WSBK execs dismissed this story as fiction.
Yet, as the weeks pass, more noises emanate from the Rossi camp about him possibly wanting to race a World Superbike race or three against Troy Bayliss in 2009.
Stepping completely into Conjecture World, if Rossi wants to race a WSBK round against Bayliss, he'd probably want to do so on Italian soil. Monza is May 10, and a second round in Italy will be held on September 27.
Neither of those dates currently conflict with the 2009 MotoGP schedule.
Is Rossi really interested in racing World Superbike or is this just Valentino saber-rattling in order to keep Dorna in line?
When I spoke with Valentino at Yamaha's Vegas dealer show, I asked him how comfortable he was with being recognized as the best rider of all time. Rossi said that he is comfortable with being considered "one of the best" but it is hard for him to think of himself as "the best" rider of all time. "To be that, there is so much more to do," he said.
At this stage in his career the list of accomplishments left for Rossi to attain is much shorter than it was in 1997. He's now at eight world titles and will turn 30 on February 16.
Giacomo Agostini is becoming more prickly the closer Rossi gets to vanquishing more of Ago's win and championship records. Ago says defensively that Rossi will never really beat his lifetime record because Ago won an F-750 race (Daytona) and the class no longer exists.
Ago's at times impressive record notwithstanding, if Rossi is laying awake at night scheming of a way to knock that old man down a peg on the win list he might want to consider asking himself much more complex questions. The number of people who feel Ago is still the greatest ever after Rossi's last ten or so years of riding are very slim.
Rossi has limited time remaining now for the final book end of his racing career. Two more titles, three more MotoGP titles? Very possible. For Rossi, this is still enjoyable. Anyone who goes riding on Christmas day still enjoys racing (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/ARCHIVE/rossimoto/).
Vanquishing a few of Ago's records has some value, of course. Especially to an Italian. But if he really wants to add to his legend, Rossi might want to think outside the box, and a battle with Bayliss in WSBK might well bolster his legend in ways Ago can't imagine.
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Dec/081203b46.htm
Rossi vs. Bayliss In WSBK?
by dean adams
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
It was heavily rumored at the Portugal round of the World Superbike championship that Yamaha rider and reigning MotoGP champ Valentino Rossi had considered entering the race and was upset that he didn't after seeing the event on television.
WSBK execs dismissed this story as fiction.
Yet, as the weeks pass, more noises emanate from the Rossi camp about him possibly wanting to race a World Superbike race or three against Troy Bayliss in 2009.
Stepping completely into Conjecture World, if Rossi wants to race a WSBK round against Bayliss, he'd probably want to do so on Italian soil. Monza is May 10, and a second round in Italy will be held on September 27.
Neither of those dates currently conflict with the 2009 MotoGP schedule.
Is Rossi really interested in racing World Superbike or is this just Valentino saber-rattling in order to keep Dorna in line?
When I spoke with Valentino at Yamaha's Vegas dealer show, I asked him how comfortable he was with being recognized as the best rider of all time. Rossi said that he is comfortable with being considered "one of the best" but it is hard for him to think of himself as "the best" rider of all time. "To be that, there is so much more to do," he said.
At this stage in his career the list of accomplishments left for Rossi to attain is much shorter than it was in 1997. He's now at eight world titles and will turn 30 on February 16.
Giacomo Agostini is becoming more prickly the closer Rossi gets to vanquishing more of Ago's win and championship records. Ago says defensively that Rossi will never really beat his lifetime record because Ago won an F-750 race (Daytona) and the class no longer exists.
Ago's at times impressive record notwithstanding, if Rossi is laying awake at night scheming of a way to knock that old man down a peg on the win list he might want to consider asking himself much more complex questions. The number of people who feel Ago is still the greatest ever after Rossi's last ten or so years of riding are very slim.
Rossi has limited time remaining now for the final book end of his racing career. Two more titles, three more MotoGP titles? Very possible. For Rossi, this is still enjoyable. Anyone who goes riding on Christmas day still enjoys racing (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/ARCHIVE/rossimoto/).
Vanquishing a few of Ago's records has some value, of course. Especially to an Italian. But if he really wants to add to his legend, Rossi might want to think outside the box, and a battle with Bayliss in WSBK might well bolster his legend in ways Ago can't imagine.