Cycle News

Cycle News Issue 46 November 20

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1053896

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P106 CN III IN THE PADDOCK BY MICHAEL SCOTT T he trouble with writing about Valentino Rossi is that you never know quite what he'll do next. The Doctor is massively talented, ruthlessly charming, reliably race-fast, and infused with a competitive spirit beyond the understanding even of some of his on-track rivals, let alone what you and I might call "normal people." Quite apart from being one of the very greatest racers of all time, Surtees, Hailwood, Agostini and Roberts (and, yes, Marquez) all rolled into one; quite apart from being a one- man promotional genius, the key figure in making MotoGP popu- lar worldwide; quite apart from having become The Godfather, ranch-master and team owner of a revival in Italian racing—quite apart from all these accomplish- ments, he is also apparently unstoppable. Or is he? Rumors that started to scuttle around the steamy Sepang paddock were not hard to believe. Approaching the end of his worst-ever season (dis- counting the disastrous 2011/'12 on the sub-standard Ducati), the first without a win since his rookie year of 1996, and turning 40 next February, Rossi must be WILL THE DOCTOR RUN OUT OF PATIENCE? If Yamaha can't deliver a bike to keep Rossi happy, will the MotoGP legend sign off early?

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