Hayden wins, Rossi loses, MotoGP history!

Nicky Hayden - 2006 MotoGP World Champion
Hayden takes title after Rossi crash, Bayliss wins race
Fortune strikes its final blow at Valencia
A day that will go down in Ducati's history

So what a momentus race the final round of the MotoGP 2006 Championship was at Valencia on Sunday. I like millions of other MotoGP fans was on the edge of my seat through out the whole thrilling race.

Against many pundits expectations Nicky Hayden won the 2006 MotoGP Championship despite Valentino Rossi's pole position on the grid and an eight point lead in the championship. Who would have predicted that Rossi would not have made a clean get away at the start and even more that he would low side his Yamaha R1 on lap four, leading to him finishing thirteenth!

Nicky's dogged determination has paid off, despite the massive set back of being knocked off by team mate Dani Pedrosa in the Portugese Grand Prix at Estoril, he is now 2006 MotoGP World Champion and Rossi relinquishes his long held crown.

So why did Rossi lose, he has said publicly:-
“Of course this is a big disappointment for me because to arrive at the final race with an eight-point advantage and then not win the title is a disaster. Basically I made two mistakes today – one was at the start and then the second one was the crash."Source- Camel Media Service

So do you think Rossi has had his day, that younger blood like Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner, Toni Elias will continue to challenge Rossi's previous dominance in the 2007 season, or did he just have an off-day?

But lets not forget Troy Bayliss, newly crowned 2006 World Superbike Champion, who picks up the injured Sete Gibernau's ride for Ducati and goes on to win the Valencia race, despite having not been on a MotoGP bike for 18 months! Could we see Bayliss making a return to MotoGP at some future point, who knows?

Anyway tell us what you thought of the race and the amazing result.

Ride Safe!

Jon Booth
webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk