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/1474448
Bagnaia Wins WDW Race of Champions T he biennial World Ducati Week was held last week at Misano on the Adriatic coast, with the feature event being the Race of Champions in which Ducati gath- ers nearly all its professional rid- ers from MotoGP, WorldSBK and various domestic championships to face off on identical Ducati Panigale V4 S machines. The eight-lap race became a VR46 Academy benefit as current MotoGP riders Francesco Bag- naia, Luca Marini and Marco Bez- zecchi cleared off at the front to go 1-2-3, with Jack Miller and Enea Bastianini completing the top five. "I really had a lot of fun this afternoon," Bagnaia said. "Hav- ing been able to compete in front of all the crowd of Ducatisti was exciting and motivated me to push hard to be able to offer them a unique show. Of course, winning always gives you a lot of pleasure! It was great and I thank all the fans for their warmth and the passion they transmit to us!" The 2022 World Ducati Week saw over 80,000 Ducatisti from 84 countries descend on Misano for the three-day festival, with 235 Of- ficial Ducati Clubs represented. CN IN THE WIND P52 Francesco Bagnaia (63) took the Lenovo Race of Champions win against some pretty stiff competition. Rins Finds A Home T hree-time MotoGP race winner Alex Rins will join LCR Honda at the end of this season—replacing the outgoing Alex Marquez who joined Gresini Ducati a few weeks ago—after signing a two-year contract with Honda Racing Corporation. "I am very happy to be join- ing the LCR Honda Team," said Rins. "Changing team and bike is a challenge, but I am ready to give my 100 percent and to put into practice everything that I've learned during my years in the MotoGP class. Lucio [Cecchi- nello] and Honda's trust have been crucial for me in deciding to take on this challenge with this factory. I would like to thank them for this opportunity." Lucio Cecchinello, LCR Honda Team Manager, said, "I am delighted... Rins is an expe- rienced rider, a fast rider and a podium finisher. This wealth of experience, coupled with Rins' ability to give the precise sugges- tions to his technicians, as I've heard, will surely help us to im- prove our bike package, aiming to fight for more podiums." CN Alex Rins (left) had to find a new home with Suzuki departing MotoGP. He found a new one with LCR Honda. Team Manager Lucio Cecchinello (right) welcomes Rins aboard.