Cycle News

Cycle News 2014 Issue 11 March 18 2014

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

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VOL. 51 ISSUE 11 MARCH 18, 2014 P141 Valentino Rossi vs. Dani Pedrosa, 2006-2013 (Pedrosa's rookie year to the present): Rossi: 27 wins, 66 po- diums, 19 pole positions, and two world titles Pedrosa: 25 wins, 84 podiums, 26 pole posi- tions, and zero world titles Adjusted numbers, dropping any races in which either rider was absent due to injury: Rossi: 25 wins, 61 po- diums, 19 poles, and two world titles Pedrosa: 24 wins, 81 podiums, 26 poles, and zero world titles Note: Pedrosa has spent all eight sea- sons on works Hon- das while Rossi has spent six on works Yamahas and two on works Ducatis. Rossi's case be- comes even less compelling when we consider his record versus Lorenzo and Stoner. Valentino Rossi vs. Jorge Lorenzo, 2008-2013: Rossi: 18 wins, 48 podiums, 10 poles, and two titles Lorenzo: 31 wins, 74 podiums, 29 poles, and two titles Adjusted Head-to- Head Numbers: Rossi: 18 wins, 46 podiums, 10 poles, and two titles Lorenzo: 28 wins, 70 podiums, 26 poles, and two titles Note: Lorenzo has been on works Yamahas his entire MotoGP career, while Rossi has spent four of those years on works Yamahas and two on works Ducatis. Valentino Rossi vs. Casey Stoner, 2006-2012 (rookie year through Stoner's retirement): Rossi: 26 wins, 60 podiums, 19 poles, and two titles Stoner: 38 wins, 69 podiums, 39 poles, and two titles Adjusted Head-to- Head Numbers: Rossi: 23 wins, 56 podiums, 17 poles, and two titles Stoner: 38 wins, 67 podiums, 39 poles, and two titles. Note: Stoner spent one of those seasons on a satellite Honda, four on works Duca- tis, and two on works Hondas, while Rossi spent five on works Yamahas and two on works Ducatis. Rossi defenders may point out that these numbers have been distorted by his disas- NO There is no arguing that Rossi raised the bar when he burst onto the 500GP/MotoGP scene. And as it turned out, the old dogs never did learn his new tricks. Rossi fattened up his numbers while taking it to that particular era of rider, but the post-Rossi generation has proven significantly more trouble- some. A select few heralded up-and-comers who en- tered MotoGP gunning for Rossi have proven sur- prisingly successful in supplanting, or, at least, matching Rossi. There's now a substantial track record of head-to-head competition with which to compare the icon and the men who have proven to be his primary challengers for the better part of decade: Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo, and Casey Stoner. Pedrosa was HRC's hand-selected 'Rossi beat- er' after Valentino left them in his wake. While the Spaniard has not fully lived up to that billing and still seeks a first-career MotoGP World Champion- ship, Rossi and Pedrosa's head-to-head numbers are more comparable than you might first guess.

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