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Rossi claims shoulder recovery behind schedule
Source: Agencies |
January 12, 2011, Wednesday
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VALENTINO Rossi, welcomed like a messiah on his first official outing as a Ducati rider, disappointed his hordes of fans on Tuesday by saying he will not be 100 percent for the start of the MotoGP season.
The Italian's arrival at his nation's top motorcycling team after years of anticipation was meant to be a moment for the whole country to savor but instead all anyone was talking about was his shoulder problem.
Rossi, a winner of nine world titles across the classes, broke his leg midway through last year and then had surgery in November on a long-standing shoulder problem which is still troubling him ahead of the February 1-3 tests in Malaysia.
"I count on being in decent form for the first race of the season in Qatar on March 20 and then I'll be 100 percent in April," the former champion told a packed news conference at Ducati's annual teambuilding ski retreat at Madonna di Campiglio in Italy.
"I hoped to feel a bit better, there is a lot of work to do but it's a great challenge to get in shape for the February tests," he said.
"I won't be in great form in Malaysia, I hope I'll be okay on the bike. It will be a race against time, the situation with the shoulder is more serious than we expected."
When he turned up late for the opening dinner on Monday night, Rossi, arguably Italy's most famous sportsman, was so inundated by wellwishers he left soon afterwards.
Ducati's ski retreat and bike launch is held jointly with Formula One's Ferrari, which has longed to take Rossi to race on four wheels, but Rossi is sticking with MotoGP even if his injury problems are again lowering his season expectations.
The 31-year-old, who lost his world title to former Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo last season, reckoned the Spaniard would again be the man to beat along with Australia's Casey Stoner, whose move to Honda allowed Rossi to join Ducati.
"Lorenzo and Stoner are favorites. The first knows the bike really well and the second has the Honda which will be very important," he said.
The fact he did not mention new teammate Nicky Hayden did not upset the 2006 champion.
"It will be a pleasure to have the information and experience of Valentino Rossi available," the American said.
"I know it won't be easy to stay close to Valentino but I know it will work with him.
"I have to accept the challenge, it's important to have a strong team mate. We know we have a great bike."
The Italian's arrival at his nation's top motorcycling team after years of anticipation was meant to be a moment for the whole country to savor but instead all anyone was talking about was his shoulder problem.
Rossi, a winner of nine world titles across the classes, broke his leg midway through last year and then had surgery in November on a long-standing shoulder problem which is still troubling him ahead of the February 1-3 tests in Malaysia.
"I count on being in decent form for the first race of the season in Qatar on March 20 and then I'll be 100 percent in April," the former champion told a packed news conference at Ducati's annual teambuilding ski retreat at Madonna di Campiglio in Italy.
"I hoped to feel a bit better, there is a lot of work to do but it's a great challenge to get in shape for the February tests," he said.
"I won't be in great form in Malaysia, I hope I'll be okay on the bike. It will be a race against time, the situation with the shoulder is more serious than we expected."
When he turned up late for the opening dinner on Monday night, Rossi, arguably Italy's most famous sportsman, was so inundated by wellwishers he left soon afterwards.
Ducati's ski retreat and bike launch is held jointly with Formula One's Ferrari, which has longed to take Rossi to race on four wheels, but Rossi is sticking with MotoGP even if his injury problems are again lowering his season expectations.
The 31-year-old, who lost his world title to former Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo last season, reckoned the Spaniard would again be the man to beat along with Australia's Casey Stoner, whose move to Honda allowed Rossi to join Ducati.
"Lorenzo and Stoner are favorites. The first knows the bike really well and the second has the Honda which will be very important," he said.
The fact he did not mention new teammate Nicky Hayden did not upset the 2006 champion.
"It will be a pleasure to have the information and experience of Valentino Rossi available," the American said.
"I know it won't be easy to stay close to Valentino but I know it will work with him.
"I have to accept the challenge, it's important to have a strong team mate. We know we have a great bike."
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