Rossi...wow (Contains Spoilers)

[Drew]

+1.....Rossi does seem a bit cry-babyish lately. Heck, Hayden is still healing from from his flat-track training injuries from the beginning of the year and ongoing problems from his wrist injury in Valencia. But Nicky is a team player..."we're" working through some problems on the bike, "we're" making some good progress, not "I can't ride their bike".

Pedrosa had a pretty good ride yesterday too.

Anyone catch the Moto2 race? Some real good racing there!

[Kevin Daly]

Originally Posted by OSUFZ1

Cry me a river Rossi. Shut up and race. It isn't the Valentino Rossi racing series. It's MotoGP and you're not fast. Nicky Hayden is faster than you and my gosh it must be the bike!!! That is the only explanation.

In regards to this past weekends race how can you not like it. That was a great run by Lorenzo and I thought Nicky Hayden put in a nice effort. The Tech3 guys fighting it out was good. Lots of good action. I was surprised to Stoner surrender a lead like that.I was shocked to see the Tech3 team do so well. Collin Edwards leaves and they finally get their act together? We'll see if they can continue that pace.

Actually if you read the article, I think Rossi is saying that "he" has trouble riding the Ducati (taking personal responsibility) in addition to the Ducati not being particularly competative. And the fact is that Nicki is a world class rider too so between the two of them neither are doing all that well. Just like last year. As Quiet rider said, it would be nice to hear Jeremy Burgess's comments on the Ducati.

[ballmead]

Originally Posted by Kevin Daly

Actually if you read the article, I think Rossi is saying that "he" has trouble riding the Ducati (taking personal responsibility) in addition to the Ducati not being particularly competative. And the fact is that Nicki is a world class rider too so between the two of them neither are doing all that well. Just like last year. As Quiet rider said, it would be nice to hear Jeremy Burgess's comments on the Ducati.

Here ya go, Burgess is also suggesting that Rossi has lost it.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sp...-1226321784807

[quazz]

It is the only explanation. Rossi is one of the greatest riders ever. If he isn't winning and says the problem is the bike then it is the bike. He has the credibility to make such statements.

[flbusa]

Originally Posted by ballmead

Here ya go, Burgess is also suggesting that Rossi has lost it.

That's like saying Tiger Woods has lost it.

Originally Posted by quazz

It is the only explanation. Rossi is one of the greatest riders ever. If he isn't winning and says the problem is the bike then it is the bike. He has the credibility to make such statements.

That's the way it always goes... The rider says it's the bike and the mechanic says it's the rider.

I think that Rossi still has it in him to do much better than 10th but I also think that when you start to get older you're not able to adapt as quickly as when you were young so jumping over to Ducati might not have been such a great idea.

In the end... any rider that wants to win has to make the best of what he has at his disposal, be it desire, physical ability and equipment.

[gigag04]

Moto2 racing was really good. On the GP side, I would've liked to
see Spies finish closer to the top, but I'm a bit biased towards the Texan. The Respsol Hondas are running solid and will be the bikes/riders to beat.

Rossi's dismal performance is meh for me. CRT should make this season interesting.

[Kevin Daly]

Originally Posted by ballmead

Here ya go, Burgess is also suggesting that Rossi has lost it.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sp...-1226321784807

Yeah... Ouch!
I am with flbusa on this one though. Rossi's fall from the top was pretty clearly correlated to switching to ducati; doesnt explain it all but its part of the story. running over his buddy last year along with several crashes must have had a psychological toll.

Like I said in my first post, it would be cool to see the legend grow. Its not because I have any particular love of Rossi, just the legend. And lets face it, its unlikely that any of the top riders today, or in our lifetime, which will match Rossi's career.

[Blues 48]

Ever since Rossi got hurt in that crash a couple of years ago, he has not been the same rider...thats just a fact.

[Super Googan]

Rossi tolerated the terd Ducati for one year in hope of a better bike this year.
They handed him another terd and he's obviously given up and waiting for his contract to expire.
Honda and Yamaha were able to quickly make changes and develop the bike for Rossi..........Ducati not so much.

[Falcon 269]

Go back 10 years and Rossi - brilliant though he is - was getting Saturday night special tyres from Michelin that no-one else received. Literally, tyres were made at the factory in Clermont-Ferand, France, based on what they learned about track conditions from final practice. These tyres were then delivered overnight to the circuit for Rossi to use on race day.

Rossi himself has admitted that he held back in the first half of those races 'just for the show' before clearing off in the final laps, making himself look better on worn tyres than was really the case. Sure, he's immensely gifted but that was an unfair advantage IMHO and the use of spec tyres brought the rest of the field back to him.

Stoner got major arm pump which is why he got caught at the end of the race. Attributed it to wearing new gloves ... his old pair had worn out after 7 months of use and the new ones weren't fully broken in, affecting blood flow etc etc.

[quazz]

I am infallible. It is the bike.

Questioning my judgement is admitting idiocy.
It is written.

[Fitty]

I remember reading about the tires. When was that? The most amazing accomplishment of Rossi's that I remember was at Philip Island in 2003, when he was given a 10 second penalty for passing under caution, and still won by over 15 seconds to negate the penalty. That was on a Honda.

[flbusa]

Originally Posted by Falcon 269

Go back 10 years and Rossi - brilliant though he is - was getting Saturday night special tyres from Michelin that no-one else received.

Yep, and shortly thereafter Stoner was winning on Bridgestone's and Rossi made a big stink and changed camps. I think it was a year later that they went to the spec tires.

[gixxerjasen]

Originally Posted by Falcon 269

Stoner got major arm pump which is why he got caught at the end of the race. Attributed it to wearing new gloves ... his old pair had worn out after 7 months of use and the new ones weren't fully broken in, affecting blood flow etc etc.

Interesting. I've always wondered if they get new gear each race or keep wearing the old stuff. It always looks so shiny and new, and with them willing to toss gear over the fence to the fans, I figured it was new each race.

[Falcon 269]

I believe that a lot of the crash damage on suits gets repaired, unless it's a total waste of time and money. New panels for old. Dainese and Alpinestars have support teams at each race, IIRC.

Gloves I guess are different because of how much they affect feel on the controls.

Then again, it could all have just been an excuse by Stoner. This is what the excellent MotoGPmatters website had to say on the subject:

Stoner explained afterwards that a combination of lack of attention to preparation, new gloves and Qatar's layout - lots of right hand turns followed by lefts, meaning that you have to brake, push, flick the bike upwards to get it turned and then brake again, several times a lap - had caused the onset of arm pump. He had been forced to abandon his previous gloves, as they were worn out after 7 months of intensive use. New gloves are always that little bit stiff, and really need breaking in beforehand - Ben Spies has his crew chief Tom Houseworth walk around in his new gloves, to stretch them out a little. Any extra effort on top of racing a MotoGP bike can be enough to start arm pump, so precautions need to be taken to avoid such effort.

[flbusa]

Originally Posted by gixxerjasen

Interesting. I've always wondered if they get new gear each race or keep wearing the old stuff. It always looks so shiny and new, and with them willing to toss gear over the fence to the fans, I figured it was new each race.

I've wondered that as well. My guess is that some riders, more than likely the ones that toss stuff over the fence, aren't so picky where others like their particular gloves or gear, possibly to the extent of some gear being "lucky". I'll also go so far as to speculate that they have a few sets of leathers that are in rotation and get repaired after a crash.

[jredford]

Originally Posted by quazz

I am infallible. It is the bike.

Questioning my judgement is admitting idiocy.
It is written.

Was it written by someone getting long in the tooth?

[gixxerjasen]

Dang, buncha haters!

[jredford]

Originally Posted by gixxerjasen

Dang, buncha haters!

Now, now - everybody knows I love Rossi - arguably the greatest personality in the history of 2 wheel racing.

Father time will have his way...always does.

[flbusa]

Except for Carlos Checa. That guy gets better with age.