Who is Rock, who is Slow in the MotoGP

On TV, in the newspapers, in short everywhere, Adriano Celentano goes crazy. He goes mad in the sense that he has gone mad, but also that one in two Italians on Thursday evenings finds nothing better than looking at the Boy from Gluck Street, listening to what he says as if he were the new Messiah, instead of perhaps going out with his girlfriend and friends or, if you just can't get rid of the cathode ray tube, watch the MotoGP races of the 1998 and 1999 seasons on ESPN Classic Sport. Right or wrong, Adriano Celentano goes crazy, we go crazy, with the belief that the national Adriano is better than Al Bano , Lecciso and sad company of Puglia. “This is the story (in this case), of all of us.” That's right, we too, myself included, fell into the RockPolitik disease last Thursday. Yes, because the guest, Benigni aside, is Valentino Rossi. In short, for once, an exception can be made…

It is not our right, much less our duty, to talk about the Doctor's appearance on Rai Uno. All in all, we can discuss who is “Rock” and who is “Slow” in MotoGP. Personal opinions, of our editorial staff, to make a bit of noise, why not, controversy, to talk about it a bit. Discuss. Bar chatter. This is the beauty of the now mass sport of the MotoGP…

Yes, why Valentino Rossi is Rock. Because he always wins, he risked everything by moving to Yamaha, he is more popular than the Wrestling characters (and in recent times it's almost impossible...). He has the Ferrari, we repeat, the Ferrari, at his feet, courting him in every possible and imaginable way. He sells more with his autobiography than Oriana Fallaci, his gadgets sell like hot cakes, he shatters record after record. Furthermore, he would be the only person capable of bringing Inter back to success...

Okay, but also Max Biaggi is Rock. He won't win since the time of the Mayans and Aztecs, but he's always there, plots aside. He believes in what he does, thinks and says, with reason, conviction and in many cases, reason. So much so that he crashes on the first lap (Phillip Island), 16th place in qualifying (Jerez), for many experts it is difficult to criticize him. And there is little to say: he is Rock also because when we try to write badly about him, Max can return to his beautiful house in Monte Carlo with Eleonora Pedron waiting for him, just as it was before with Anna Falchi and Valentina Pace. If he's not Rock...

Pure Loris Capirossi is Rock. Because he always tries, he has never changed who he is, he is the perfect idol of the Ducatisti. He works and works, he never gives up, he encourages the team and the men with almond-shaped eyes at Bridgestone to achieve the desired results. Which at the end of the season, they arrived. More than Rock, Hard Rock.

However, his future teammate is not like Capirossi Thirst Gibernau. Slow, lately not only with regards to the numbers on the clock, but also for rookie race conduct. Slow in his confrontation with Melandri, slow in hiding the 2006-2007 contract with Ducati. However, the fact of having signed with Borgo Panigale projects him into an upcoming "Rock" season.

Rock is also Nicky Hayden. We don't really know why, we still don't know the reason why he has been in MotoGP with the most competitive two-wheeler for three years now, but all in all he has put together a decent season. Lifeline of the HRC, Kentucky Kid is not crazy like the (Hard Rock) brothers Tommy and Roger Lee: they get injured in Motocross training every other week as well, the good Nicky dedicates himself to girls, parades and good life. Undoubtedly Rock.

Marco Melandri also rocks, capable of proving everyone's value wrong with this 2005, with the triumph in Turkey, with a ranking that makes him the best Honda rider and first among humans. Well done Marco, a successful 2006 awaits you.

Slow, very slow, Alex Barros. Estoril aside, he has disappeared, and has no data to convince the MotoGP circus to offer him a decent contract for 2006. In his place, Sito Pons' team (Lento, for God's sake, has become an adoptive father for the "EX- HRC”..), Carlos Checa. In this case, let's leave the judgment to someone else...

“Baby face” Chris Vermeulen is Rock. Because he made a fuss about Honda, about its millionaire contracts, about promises that, see Colin Edwards in the past, were never kept, and as soon as he had the opportunity he signed with Suzuki. It won't be a winning bike, it won't have a top-notch team behind it, but it will immediately project him into 2006 in the premier class of motorcycling, thus repudiating all his Superbike friends who have always believed in him. Rock as a character (and yet I assure you that he is good-natured...), now he must confirm himself on the track.

Slow Colin Edwards, because well, words aside, at some point in MotoGP you always lose, be it with Aprilia, Honda or Yamaha. Lenses Makoto Tamada, The X-Files Season 2005, Shane byrne (like losing a golden opportunity with Honda by following the WCM pace) and the entire Kawasaki team, which once again implements the "shrimp pace" at the end of the season.

Rock Toni Elias, because he takes risks and is fast, unlike Ruben Roberto Rolfo also rocks, an exquisite person who manages to excuse Dunlop for the terrible work done at every race. Rock Franco Battaini, who, in Ungaro/Lucchinelli's words, is the classic "Bread and Salami" driver.

To conclude, we close with the most Rock of all: Gabor Talmacsi. Because he doesn't care, to say the least, about team orders, wins in a sprint in Qatar, takes away five points from championship-fighting teammate Mika Kallio, and subsequently demonstrates that if KTM loses the title, it's certainly not the fault his, but of the Finn's absurd slides in sequence: Assen, Mugello, Istanbul. Walking with his head held high he learns that Harald Bartol (slow) wants to dismount him, but he doesn't complain or cry over himself: half 125 and 250 offers him a contract. Man of the Year…

Alessio Piana