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19th MARCH SOUTH AFRICAN GP, WELKOM.
1st race of the season and not a good start for Rossifumi, he started the race badly, falling back to 11th place, soon making an impressive comeback to 7th, but when he tried to pass Criville in the 5th lap he skidded off the track.
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2nd APRIL MALASIAN GP, SEPANG.
Vale had a good start, jumping up to 2nd position until in the 4th lap when he span out pretty impressivly, limping off the track-don't worry, only a few bruises
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9th APRIL JAPANESE GP, SUZUKA.
After a pretty bad qualifying session Rossifumi started in 13th position. It was an uneventful race for Rossi-but he did manage to finish! Only in 11th place but at least he stayed on the bike!
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30th APRIL SPANISH GP, JEREZ.
This had to be the oddest race this season. Our Rossifumi started from 2nd position after an eventful qualifying session. In the warm-up lap Biaggi was hit by Laconi resulting in a flaming bike for Biaggi-RED FLAG. When the race got underway, Valentino had a good start-holding his 3rd position for the entire 15 laps the race lasted until it was called off due to rain. 3rd time lucky? You betcha, Vale secured 3rd place-1st podium in the 500cc!
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14th MAY FRANCE GP, Le MANS.
After qualifying only to the 3rd row it looked like this wasn't going to be Rossi's day, but he had a good start and it wasn't long until he was in 5th position. A real struggle for the win between Abe, Criville and Vale with Rossifumi ending in 3rd-the second podium!
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28th MAY ITALIAN GP, MUGELLO.
Valentino was determined to get a good result in his home country, unfortunately it wasn't to be. After starting in the front row, Rossi struggled with Roberts, Biaggi and Capirossi for the lead, finally securing it with 2 laps to go, but then he asked too much of his bike, another crash on Vale's card, but he jumped back on and finished in 12th position.
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11th JUNE GP OF CATALUNYA, CATALUNYA CIRCUIT.
Another 3rd row start on wet conditiond had Rossifumi riding a careful but determined race, securing 3rd place and his 3rd podium with 3 laps to go-another great race!
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11th JUNE GP OF CATALUNYA, CATALUNYA CIRCUIT.
Another 3rd row start on wet conditiond had Rossifumi riding a careful but determined race, securing 3rd place and his 3rd podium with 3 laps to go-another great race!
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9th JULY BRITIAN GP, DONNINGTON PARK.
The race started really badly for Vale with fis back tyre spinning, losing him valuable places but it wasn't long until he was back on track and on the move. A truely amazing race full of risks and tension. He managed to make his way to the front, duelling for 1st place with McWilliams, 3 laps from the finish he secured it, ROSSIFUMI SECURES HIS 1ST VICTORY IN THE 500cc!
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23rd JULY GERMAN GP, SACHSENRING.
After a nerve-wracking qualifying session where Rossi lost his Friday's pole position due to a nasty looking crash on Saturday (luckily he wasn't injured) Rossifumi started the race in 6th position-a very bad start falling back to 16th, but, once again, the chase was on. Rossi moved his way up the field until he was in the lead. One lap from the finish Barros over took him, out Vale was right along side but, no go, 2nd place and the 5th podium secured!
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20th AUGUST CZECH REPUBLIC GP, BRNO.
Another nerve-wracking race, Rossifumi started from 5th position but quickly made settled into 3rd. An impressive duell between Valentino and McCoy followed with Rossi securing 2nd position 2 laps before the finish, he had no hope of catching Biaggi who was in 1st and slaughtering the field but no matter, the 6th podium secured Vale's place on the championship table behind Kenny Roberts!
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3rd SEPTEMBER PORTUGESSE GP, ESTORIL
After an uneventful qualifying session Rossi started in 12th position, many good riders in the 125cc and 250cc had crashed during the days races and our Vale is not unknown for pushing his bike just a little too far, which made his progression up to 4th position even more tense. But Rossifumi settled safely behind Biaggi and it wasn't long until he'd passed him once again winning 3rd place and his 7th podium this year!
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17th SEPTEMBER SPANISH GP, VALENCIA
This was one of those races where you're torn between wanting to cover your eyes and not being able to tear them away. Rossi had a relatively good star from 5th position eventually setteling into 6th behind Criville. He tried to pass Criville but wasn't having any luck until Criville span off the track nearly taking Capirossi who was ahead of him too. Vale easily passed them and created an exact replica of the last race; McCoy 1st, Roberts 2nd and Biaggi and Rossi duelling in 3rd and 4th-and believe me there's no love lost between this two countrymen. Once again Rossifumi managed to pass his fellow Italian and begin the attempt for second place. Once again he was having no luck, Roberts was giving him no chances, then, coming into a corner, Vale lost the front and the rear and very nearly came off, he caught the bike on his knee and managed to stay on but not before Biaggi and Checa passed him. Once again in 5th and once again, despite trying everything, he had no chance until Checa drove right off the track giving Vale and easy 4th, yet another Biaggi/Rossi duell and this one certinally didn't look like it was going to go Valentino's way. By this point he was taking considerally more risks, althougth still riding a far more mature race than the earlier Rossi, but still acheiving nothing but it finally paid off and he passed Biaggi. It wasn't long before he Passed Championship Rival Roberts with a very good chance of catching McCoy. Then, with two laps to go, Vale once again lost control of the front and sapn off the track and out of the race. He only just managed to keep his second place in the Championship but with Roberts' lead increased to 66 points and only 4 races to go the Title is all but lost, then again, he surprised us before...
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7th OCTOBER BRAZILLIAN GP, NELSON PIQUET CIRCUIT
This was going to be an important race for the Grand Prix-the race for the World Championship. If Rossifumi won the race Kenny Roberts had to get 6th or better to become the 2000 Champion. Vale said before the race "I think Kenny, for sure, will become world champion...I have an offer for Kenny: I win the race and he wins the Championship, I think (that) is ok for tomorrow!". Rossi started well from third and ran a near perfect race leading the field home in his 2nd first placing of the year!! And Roberts? Coming in exactly 6th place Roberts secured the title of 2000 World Champion-congratulations! If Valentino wins the next race he's secured the second.
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15th OCTOBER JAPANESSE GP, MOTEGI TWIN RING CIRCUIT
Vale had a bad start from 5th and had to fight his way up the field. He finally reached 2nd but Roberts in first had a huge advantage on the field bad Biaggi was breathing right down Rossi's neck. Late in the race Vale eventually made a small failure allowing Biaggi to pass him, once again the duel was on. On the last lap Rossifumi passed Biaggi and it looked like he was going to win second (there was no hope of catching Roberts) but then came Biaggi and passed Vale, who passed him right back, it was a fight right to the end with Valentino finally managing to get the second-the victory naturally just that bit sweeter the it was Biaggi who tasted his fumes! Today was also the day Roberto Loccatella won the 125cc World Championship-congrats!
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| NEXT RACE: 29th OCTOBER AUSTRALIAN CIRCUIT, PHILLIP ISLAND |
