MotoGp wraps up for 2004

Last nights race was great- but not for the reasons you'd think. My highlight? The grace, dignity and downright style of a Mr Troy Bayliss. I was all set to hear him give Ducati a blast and he chose the more damaging, cooler opposite path.

Other highlight - Darryl Beattie's call when the camera showed Checa dusting himself off after yet another off: "DUCATI!!... GET USED TO IT!" classic! This followed Billy Woods' call on RPM that he was, frankly, actually BUGGERED if her knew what Ducati was thinking. I wonder what Bazza would say? Probally a lot of blue work!

The season is over, and having seen Bayliss so gallent at his press conference I had a think about what the riders might say if they were brutally honest about themselves and their performances:

Biaggi: y'know you might be right, I might be the biggest whiner and choker ever... and thats a record that no one can take. yeah I had the bike, tyres, team and the timing could not have been better, but I guess I'm not good enough. Shit happens

Edwards: Look, I guess I as trying to be funny when I suggested we take forks off a 2000 model superbike and put them on a 2004 RCV. It chattered so much I lost two teeth. I knew they'd taken it too far when i suggested we try the rear shock out of a CX500 and the handlebars from an XR80- and there they were, ready to go on. On the plus side no one blew me up this year.

Checa: I regard MotoGP as a show, and part of that show is crashing as often as possible..
Melandri: Same goes for me.
Xaus: Me too!

Barros: ...and for my next trick I will get an F1 drive with no track record, no prospects and no hope!!

Kenny Roberts: I'm actually quite in to MotoGP- from a spectating perspective.

Kurtis Roberts: No, fair enough to say that, this has been the worst year of my life and yes, it's mostly my dad's fault.

Hoffman: I can only put Nakano's success down to the fact he is much better than me and I am way out of my depth.

Ellison/Ui/Fabrizio et al: We've had a great year in World Superbikes... err whats that you say?

Nakano: It's been an interesting year, if you rate a tyre delamination at 200 miles an hour down the main straight as interesting.

Hayden: Some folks mighta said it was foolish to fall offa that there Supermoto bike. But I say it was damn foolish.

Gibernau: Just when you thought I was going ok, I show you the Gibernau of old! Thank you all! please try the fish and tip your waiteresses....

Hopkins: Yes, I'm well pleased to have signed with Suzuki for the next 100 years. A lot of people say "when you're on a good thing, stick to it". But I'm not a lot of people...

McWilliams: [no one can compete with what Jezza actually does say]

Rossi: This year has been really tough. Hardest, most difficult year of my life. It's been quite unbelievable- the pressure, the expectation, the bike, the racing, the competitors.
Actually, just kidding. It was a piece of piss. As always..

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Roll on 2005~!

MotoGP official site
Troy Bayliss- official site
MC News Australia
Bikepoint.com.au