Rossi set for Bayliss Superbike duel

Eurosport - Thu, 18 Dec 06:34:00 2008

MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi has agreed to a one-off Superbike race against Troy Bayliss, according to reports in Spain.

2008 MotoGP Valentino Rossi - 0

Solo Moto magazine claims the Italian will take on Bayliss in a head-to-head battle on March 14 in Qatar, saying the deal is "said and done".

The duel will take place during the weekend of the second round of the 2009 Superbike World Championship at the Losail circuit.

Rossi is expected to race a Yamaha R1 - as used by factory riders Tom Sykes and Ben Spies in 2009 - while Bayliss will be on the familiar Xerox Ducati.

Bayliss retired from the World Superbike scene after romping to his third championship in 2008 on the Ducati.

The Australian's dominance of an increasingly competitive series earned him the Rider of the Year award from the well-respected Italian magazine Moto Sprint ahead of Rossi, who won his sixth world championship in MotoGP's premier class, his eighth overall.

The 29-year-old Rossi is thought to be unhappy at the snub, and has agreed to the race in a bid to hammer home his supremacy.

Rossi recently said he was keen to take Bayliss on one-versus-one, telling Corriere dello Sport: "If there was an opportunity and the right date then I would race there tomorrow.

"I like World Superbikes to be mad, I like to watch it and I'd love to ride in it, the problem is the dates.

"I do not know when, but I hope that I can make a race in WSB. I am sad that I would not be able to race against Bayliss on track now because I would like to challenge him on a superbike. Maybe, if I ask him he might even come back for one race for the challenge."

There has been no official confirmation from either rider.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 17 - 36 of 56

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  1. I'd pay to watch that...... What a race, Then­ Bayliss should have to have a go on a MotoGp bike to­ return the challenge

    From Woofit, on Thu 18 Dec 12:12AM

  2. Should be a good duel. be even better if they were on­ the same make of bike. Why not have a 2 leg race, both­ on a ducati, then both on an R1. That is the only fair­ way of running it. Any other way would not give the­ answer as to who is the best, it would just leave­ another load of " ah yes, but---" or,­ "well, what if --". As it is it would just be­ a lot of people paying a fair lot of money to see a no­ show. Is Bernie E involved in this some how ?

    From the bear, on Wed 17 Dec 10:51PM

  3. To close to call. Both are extremely worthy world­ champions in their own right and it will take a series­ of races, not a one off, to decide. My money is on­ Rossi.
    Gixer-man.

    From Graeme, on Wed 17 Dec 10:42PM

  4. "Troy's the only guy to take it Vale. Like­ when he kicked everyones @#$% in 2006 at­ valencia!!!"

    Um, you forget that Troy had a very­ low key career during his time in MotoGP. Outside of­ that Valencia run, Troy did absolutely nothing in the­ premier class.

    From Jacob, on Wed 17 Dec 10:22PM

  5. rrcarsofgospo from Comment 22 - a case of feeling a­ little bitter by any chance?? As for Pedrosa, hardly a­ threat this season was he?? Move out the way and let­ Rossi carry on with what he does best, riding a­ motorcycle to the best of his and its ability!

    From rebecca, on Wed 17 Dec 8:53PM

  6. brilliant. This will be amazing. Troy's the only­ guy to take it Vale. Like when he kicked everyones @#$%­ in 2006 at valencia!!!

    From Travis L, on Wed 17 Dec 8:38PM

  7. SS_A9X, ----Top idea, I was going to suggest a one off­ on a neutral bike lithe gsxr but thinking about it now­ there is no way ducati or yamaha will ok it, when you­ think about all the publicity this is going to­ generate....

    From Travis L, on Wed 17 Dec 8:36PM

  8. Bayliss was beaten into submission from Colin in WSB,so­ what chance against the maistro.Szymon

    From szymonjanski, on Wed 17 Dec 8:04PM

  9. that's the kind of guy rossi is....he just loves to­ race. the man is brilliant on and off the track.

    From jonny slash, on Wed 17 Dec 7:43PM

  10. SS_A9X,
    best idea yet

    From TYKE THROUGH AND THROUGH, on Wed 17 Dec 7:39PM

  11. They should have three races, one on BMWs, second on­ Suzuki's and third on Kawasaki's.
    Two identical­ bikes of each brand, and give them a week of track time­ to set them up.

    That would let them show their­ abilities in bike setup, as well as racing. As to not­ give them sufficient time to set the bikes up, would­ help the rider whos riding style closely matches the­ existing setup.

    From SS_A9X, on Wed 17 Dec 7:09PM

  12. same neutral machine only fair, but it wont happen cos­ yamaha wont let it. both legends

    From jase, on Wed 17 Dec 6:52PM

  13. Rossi, Stoner, Dovvi, Lorenzo and Nicky will fight it­ out next year. Briget the Migget will struggle to stay­ with them and if he does he will fall off and cry

    From Simon B, on Wed 17 Dec 6:18PM

  14. Blimey, Toesland's got more chance of beating Rossi­ than a loser like Dani Pedrosa, he can ride fast but­ can't mix it with the big boys, okay at leading­ from the flag but that's all.

    From GEORGE, on Wed 17 Dec 6:07PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Troy will wipe the floor with tossi, just like dani­ will next season in moto gp, remeber where you read it­ first- SHEEP BAAAAAAA!!!!!! REPSOL ROSS

    From rrcarsofgosport, on Wed 17 Dec 5:55PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Come on troy and give the doctor and all his arse­ licking fans a taste of his own medicine as dani's­ going to do to him in moto gp this season- REPSOL ROSS

    From rrcarsofgosport, on Wed 17 Dec 5:50PM

  17. It will never happen, rossi has everything to lose if­ he took a tumble then right off the season, sponsers­ would never agree,i would love to see it though two­ awesome riders,never say die attitude mouth watering.

    From lwcolleton, on Wed 17 Dec 5:31PM

  18. sweet cant wait

    From seanbay_3535, on Wed 17 Dec 5:30PM

  19. Rossi = Legend - nuff said

    From lard, on Wed 17 Dec 5:27PM

  20. should be a cracker, but..............MUST be on same­ independent bikes. rossi to win!

    From rob, on Wed 17 Dec 5:03PM
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