2019 CYCLE NEWS RIDER OF THE YEAR—MOTOGP CHAMPION MARC MARQUEZ
P86
Interview
The same invincibility applied on track. On a
factory Repsol Honda that had closed the gap to
Ducati's top speed advantage, he was able to ride in
a more measured way. "I didn't have to risk so much
in the braking," he said. When he could win, he did.
On every other occasion, but for an electronically
triggered slip-off in Texas, he came second.
He frequently spoke of this matured approach:
going for the title rather than race wins, accepting
Serial winners are a hallmark of motorcy-
cle GP racing. More have reigned supreme
for a spell than otherwise. Out of 26 champi-
ons over 71 years, there are only 10 one-offs:
Les Graham, Libero Liberati, Gary Hocking,
Marco Lucchinelli, Franco Uncini, Wayne
Gardner, Kevin Schwantz, Alex Criville,
Kenny Roberts Jr. and Nicky Hayden.
More common are those who have won
it again and again. The most prolonged
uninterrupted spell—seven years—belong-
ing to Giacomo Agostini. Next are Mick
Doohan and Valentino Rossi, with five in a
row. These are just three among those who
have taken three titles or more, including in
recent years Kenny Roberts, Eddie Law-
son, Wayne Rainey and Jorge Lorenzo.
Marquez's fourth in succession, the sixth
in seven MotoGP years, puts him high on
the list, with no sign of any pause to come.
Even a second successive bout of shoulder
surgery (right shoulder this time, left shoul-
der December 2018) is just another show
of strength. The damage was sustained in
two heavy crashes in rounds 15 and 18, in
Thailand and Malaysia. But Marc showed no
outward signs and won not only in Thailand
but three of the next four races, then ran
four days of testing. Only when that was
over did he admit he was hurt, and go for
remedial surgery.
The USA has always been a happy hunting ground
for Marquez, seen here on his way to becoming the
youngest-ever MotoGP race winner in 2013.
Marc Marquez looking baby-faced in 2008.
