Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

World Championship Road Race Series Mugello Circuir ,rlusello, lrt'ly MOTOGP c otocP racing is fantastic. At least it was on Sunday in ltaly, on a day that Valentino Rossi marked his return to form and the end of his bad luck with an epic win. The Camel Yamaha rider had qualified on the front row of the grid for the first time this season, and he seized the lead on the flrst of 23 laps of the spectacular Mugello circuit in the Apennine foothills outside Florence, But he was in for one of the toughest races of his career. The armies of Rossi fans around the hillsides, packed with a capacity crowd of almost 90,000, saw their hero at his absolute best. It was the same for the swathe of red on the Ducati grandstand. Loris Capirossi didn't win, but he was only beaten by half a second, after a superlative recovery from a bad start, And with Repsol Honda's Nicky Hayden a similar distance behind, nor could the occasional Hayden fan who might have intruded on the ltalian party be less than impressed and satisfled. The ltalian GP provided close, clean and thrilling racing at its best, in all three classes - and a little twist in the tail. ln spite oI all the brilliant racing, the lap record set by the jobless former hero Max Biaggi last year remained intact. Rossi's flrst baftle was with pole quali- fier Sete Gibernau, who got straaght back in front for three more laps an his Marlboro Ducati, and then stayed close until an unusual prgblem occurred on the l6th lapi The toe-slider on his Spidi boot became detached, cutting his toe and dropping him out of contention long enough for him to lose touch, Challenges from Fortuna Honda's I4arco Melandri and LCR Honda's Casey Stoner were impressive, though shoft- lived. Stoner had a terrifying crash while holding a strong third on lap nine, his Honda somersaulting high in the air but luckily landing well away from the bat- tered but not seriously hurt young Australian, ''l'm feeling a bit average," he said after checks to a sore neck revealed no serious problems. But Hayden and Capirossi - seventh and eighth. respectively, after the first lap - were cominS, and when they arrived, Rossi made his first mistake and dropped to fifth, behind those tlvo and Gibemau and Melandri. The last-named then made a mistake of his own, running into the gravel and reioining the race out of touch with the lead pack, By the flnish, the battle was between the three survivors, with Capirossi mak- ing the most ofthe running. Rossi grabbed the lead at the start of the final lap and managed to get far enough away to resist the final charge. "This was definitely the toughest race of the last years, especially aSainst Loris [Capirossi]," Rossi said. "l don't remem- ber one race where the balance was so equal - bikes, riders and tires. The cham- pionship is very equal between Honda, Yamaha and Ducati. lf I had to make a bet who would win before the last lap, I don't know what I would have said, I think I made a great iob - and sure I didn't breathe for the last lap." He had been expecting Capirossi. "When ldidn't see his name on the board, I thought he might have made a mistake," Rossi said. "Then his name came." A pockcd hou.e wokhe. lhe llqlion MotoGP ond rhey --+*-- Ualentinofrossi felat ns to, lfie i tr1 Qaaiiiilifr 6.>ootttotl I I

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