Agostini o Rossi-u i Stoneru.
Ago-Row-Si
by staff
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
The long simmering feud between Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi bubbled up again last week.
All-time great Giacomo Agostini appeared at the 200 Miglia di Imola Revival last weekend in Italy, riding his old Yamaha OW29 750cc bike on which he won the race in 1974. Ago also took Jorge Lorenzo's current 800cc M1 for a spin around the Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit.
Ago granted an audience to the media, and he wasn't reluctant to share his thoughts on the struggles this season of his fellow Italian legend Valentino Rossi aboard the various flavors of Ducati GP11 bikes. Ago also volunteered his opinion on the true sheriff of the premier class today.
"Success in this sport depends on the rider-bike combination, and unfortunately only one rider can win," Agostini said. "Just look at Honda: Despite all of their resources, they haven't won a title for five years.
"But Vale is struggling on a bike that has won in the past. Maybe things will be better with the 1000. He is a sensitive rider, and he needs to have the optimal feeling with the bike to win. Stoner, however, is a more aggressive and raw rider, without any half-measures. At Ducati, he was either fast or he crashed.
"But I don't think Valentino has stopped being a good rider. The rider can only contribute his opinions. Put simply, he needs a perfect bike, but Stoner doesn't. It reminds me a little bit of myself and Mike Hailwood. He was less sensitive to the feeling that the bike wasn't right. When I tried his bike, it felt like a piece of iron to me, but he was able to go fast with it."
Replace iron and Mike Hailwood with carbon fiber and Casey Stoner, and you catch Ago's drift.
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