paolo ghisoni

Paolo Ghisoni

Valentino Rossi, the twenty-year-old rider of Aprilia, the new world champion in the 250 cc category, is exactly poles apart from the model of straightforward and ordinary man this surname in Italy usually embodies.
Speeding at more than 200 km per hour was always in Valentino's blood, given that also his father Graziano was a rider, as it was in his blood his adolescent impulse to rebellion and his unconventional behaviour towards all rules, constraints or affectation.
Those who know him well, having to deal with him for matters of sponsors or business appointments, say he is insufferable. His friends, who are mostly young people of his age, those Valentino calls “real friends”, say exactly the opposite.
It is not difficult to believe that. Valentino, but above all his most spontaneous side, has really nothing to do with the same old routine of our Mr Rossi. We saw him making a number of really eccentric things: from kissing the asphalt of a curve at Jerez, in Spain, where Villeneuve won his world title, to the poster with the message “Vord Cempion” (a funny combination of English and dialect from Romagna) he waved in 1997 after his triumph in the 125 cc category. Other than on the track, where results speak for him, this boy from Tavullia has demonstrated to be able to stand out also at the level of character and words. His polemics with Max Biaggi, the other great Italian ace of motorcycling, have gone round Italy.
According to Valentino, his Roman colleague is too inflated, a champion at all costs, in a word: “false”. This has always given rise to polemic declarations, or even subtle but pungent provocations.
Now it is possible that their dialectic and virtual duel finally moves to the track. In fact, the young rider from the Marches will probably be promoted to the 500 cc class, a category where Biaggi up to now has been alternating great races with mediocre performances. Valentino gave one of his last hits to his eternal rival when someone teased him about the appointments of the next year, also revealing him the possibility that the two riders could not compete face to face. In fact, according to what some well-informed people maintain, Max would have other intentions, having tried a Ferrari car at Maranello.
Yet, Valentino still tells some adolescent lies. If Biaggi really should leave motorcycling, where could he find another such great target able to stir the imagination and fancy of him and his friends of the Tavullia bar?