Valencia - Race

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rossifan @ Oct 30 2006, 12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i dont think so,it was just his year thats all. If Melandri and Capirrosi didnt crash so early in the season it would have been a real battle for the title by them all and Rossi.
I hate hearing that. Here's how it works:

Nicky Hayden got X points. Rossi got X-5 points. Therefore, Hayden won the championship. Hayden got more points, therefore Hayden deserved the title. No other way round it. We can debate his method of winning. Lorenzo for example won by being insane and throwing himself into every race and winning as many as he lost, but ultimately winning enough. Nicky rode smartly, doing exactly what he needed to. Two different methods of achieving the same thing, this year Nicky's tactical riding style beat Rossi's do-or-die riding. Its that simple.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Elias Number 1 Fan @ Oct 30 2006, 11:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>this year Nicky's tactical riding style beat Rossi's do-or-die riding. Its that simple.
uh oh yer gonna have the rossi brigade on ya for this statement!

Don't get me wrong, he rides his style perfectly (or near perfectly) but he does lack some of the tactical thinking that Nicky has, at least how I see it. If the tables had been reversed in that last race, I honestly think Rossi would have pushed Baylisstic and Capirossi all the way and tried to beat them, even though it would endanger his race. He aims to get to the line first, and thats to be respected, but sometimes it pays off more to race with the championship in mind instead of with the race in question in mind.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>Nicky rode smartly, doing exactly what he needed to. Two different methods of achieving the same thing, this year Nicky's tactical riding style beat Rossi's do-or-die riding. Its that simple.
i disagree with this man. Rossi had his engine failure twice and tyre problem once. Hayden didnt play it safe,he was riding at his limit apart from the last race where he played smart. But to end a long debate Nicky is the best for 2006 ie he is the champion

Haven't been able to get online till today so here's my two penneth.

Before the race Rossi was pacing.........uncharacteristically, he just seemed to be really nervous, something I have never known of him before. When he went off I screamed noooooo. not particularly because I wanted him to win the championship but because I wanted to see a race.

Troy Bayliss..............WOW, I now have to eat my words about WSB riders achieving anything in GP. How wrong can you be? Well done, excellent excellent ride. Though I do think if Rossi had have been higher up the order then things may well have been a bit more scrappy at the front.

Still by the end when Hayden was pretty much cruising to the finish I was willing him on and am so pleased that he got the World Championship, he has had many negative comments this year and I really think he has done the best job on the number 2 HRC bike. Will this be the turning point for both Hayden and Rossi? Well I suppose we will all find out next year. However, what a brilliant season, right down to the wire, incredibly emotional, with many controversial incidents that I am sure will be talked about and referred back to for years to come. Pedrosa with his .........no after you manouvre I think has certainly put at rest the opinion that he crashed into Hayden on purpose...as if???

For Rossi though the Estoril race and Elias nicking those 5 extra points has really really hurt Rossi, and then before he came off the track at Valencia he must have been disheartened with a sea of honda's in front of him, one being crashy, you wouldn't want to have to get past him on a definitive world championship race with his crashy tendencies, or Pedrosa for that matter.

Once again..........it wasn't over till that fat woman started singing and big respect to Hayden well done, well derserved and I hope we will see some excellent racing next year, if it's only half as good as this year it will still be a phenominal season.