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/128334
both tracks with long straights, wh ere his do w n-on-speed Yamaha should have been totally outgunned by the Hondas . Instead Rossi showed his genius by find ing ways around th e problem . Then came Assen , w he re it was only o n the last lap - w ith a daring 125cc-style block -pas s - that Rossi was able to deal with Sete Gibernau . recalled tha t of all those w ins, the first in South Africa is his greatest personal triumph. "That was my grea test race - fo r sure." he said. Talking to Rossi is no longer the easy job it used to be. w he n he was a te enaged 12Scc rider who would spend lite rally hours in t he press roo m. He is an order of superstar ne ve r seen before in bike racing. and now it is a matter of booking an appointment weeks in advance . and ge tting 10 minutes . Rossi. to be fair, is true to himse lf - just the same humorous and responsive intervi e - "It's incredible to be at the top. I started the year expecting some good results, but not like this. I thought it would take more time to arrive at the top." - Valentino Rossi In every case. because he is so talented. he made it look easy. And now he came to Brazil, ro und seven of 16. lead ing t he Wo rld Championship (eq ual on points with Gibemau, but with four wins to two). O n Sunday came the proof of just how close to the edge he was havingto ride the Yamaha. with a 13th-lap crash. his first in a race since Mugello, 2002 . in the rain. I spoke to him in Brazil, when he wee he always was. I spoke to him in company with other pressme n. and he was animated as he spoke about t he e njoyme nt of racing the Yamaha agai nst his ex- Ho nda he nchme n. "It's incredible to be at the to p: ' he said. "I started the year expecting some good results. but not like this. I th ought it would take more time to arrive at the top. It's not finished , and for sure, it will be a hard battle. Sete [Gibernau] is very stro ng. and he is riding very we ll. But it is alre ady a victory for us." Rossi nowadays is woolly haired and increasingly pri- later, Rossi is quite decided th at South African win was his be st win of all. Of his life, eve n. Working all the way to defeat his almos t life- long rival Max Biaggi, he w on by just two-te nths. "D uring t he race . I w as just concentrating." Rossi re calls. " But I have never felt such st rong fee lings after a race ." And for t he first time in living me mo ry. Rossi was actuallyove rco me w ith emotion afterwa rd , sto pping out on the track to hug his bike . his bod y racked w ith sobs of relief. In ano t her sense . it took six races. Things went wrong at t he next two which in Rossi's case meant he "o nly" got a cou ple of fourths. his bike a handful at Jerez in the rain and at stop-and -go Le Mans unde r brakes . Then cam e Muge llo. and Valentino embarked on a typ ical w inning spre e: winning both legs of the rain-split Italian GP, and again at Valencia - www.cyclenews.com CYCLE N EWS • JUL 28,2004 Y 3S