Along with it being pretty hot and sticky at Engadine on Sunday, I had another reason for packing up early and heading home. MotoGp was going to be on later in the evening and I wanted to make sure I was still awake to watch it. I’m glad I stayed up.
Something had already told me that the gloves were going to be off after Rossi’s brake testing of Marquez when he was on his hot qualifying lap. You’d think he would have learned by now that it’s not a good idea to poke the bear. He was to learn that lesson yet again by the time that the race was over. After qualifying, however, it looked like it was going to be the Yamahas who were going to steal Ducati’s glory on their home turf. The best Marquez could manage was 5th, last place on the 2nd row and the Ducatis were behind him.
At the drop of the flag, MM93 made his intentions clear, first disposing of Morbidelli and the amazing Espargaro on the ever-improving KTM, then slipping by Vinales to be camped up on the #20 rider’s tailpiece pretty quickly. Vinales faded immediately and it became clear that the race was going to be between the two young guns. What would Marquez do? Would he go by as soon as possible and try to escape or would he bide his time, something that goes against all of his racing instincts? With no threat coming from behind, he decided on the latter course. He shadowed Quatararo for the whole race, looking for an option and, in the mean time, sussing out the possible weak points of the #20 rider.
It didn’t take long for spectators to figure out that Marquez was practising the classic “stalk and pounce” strategy, made famous by Barry Sheene all those years ago. Never out of touch with the leader, Marquez bit his tongue and then, with a couple of laps to go, made his first move. This was rebuffed but I’m sure he was expecting it to be. The object was to rattle El Diablo’s cage and try to put him off his game as the flag drew nigh. He made sure of it in the 2nd last corner, passing on the inside then rolling off ever so slightly to ensure that Quats couldn’t beat him to the line as had happened in the previous two races. It worked to perfection and his extraordinary celebrations after showed how important the win was to him and to his championship aspirations.
His only possible challenger for the title, Dovizioso, was in 6th and right out of it. Marquez got the job done again, extending his lead to a whopping 93 points, humiliating Ducati at home and finishing a massive 12 seconds in front of Rossi at his home track into the bargain. He can’t win the title at Aragon next weekend but he can get a very solid grip o it before the “fly-away” rounds begin.
And the others? Well, Quatararo is definitely the new big thing; if he stays injury-free and continues to get Yamaha’s support, he will be THE thorn in Marquez’s side for years to come. Rins? Another unforced error brought him back down to earth in a big, big way. You can’t win races or championships in the kitty litter.
Sunday night proved yet again that MotoGp IS the premier form of motorsports in the world. No other discipline delivers the close, exciting racing that MotoGp does. The Moto3 and Moto2 races were equally epic.
News in this morning that KTM have dropped Zarco effective immediately, his place to be taken in the “works” team by test rider, Mika Kallio. I feel really sorry for Johann. he jumped ship from Yamaha at absolutely the wrong time and he now will be highly unlikely to find a home at any MotoGp team. It’s a real shame.
Continuing with the “All over the place” theme, then, an examination of the BoM site before the weekend had revealed that, if I was going to get a ride in, it would have to be Monday. How right it was. So, 0630 Monday morning, I hit the road for a Putty loop. Morning tea at Grey Gum at around 10….
and then a fast squirt up through the Ten Mile to the tree.
No traffic, no cops and no worries. I’d already told Kimmie that I was aiming to get home early (rain was predicted for later in the day) so I didn’t stop back in at GGC, electing instead for some afternoon tea at the delightful Colo Riverside Cafe..
My table number was a reminder of the late Dave Burgess, another of Wollongong’s favourite racing sons in the 1970’s
You could certainly tell that it’s Springtime. I had to clean the visor 4 times in the 600km run and it was as bad as this again when I got home.
All in all, it was a great day on the road; while I enjoy group rides, solo is still my preference.
And the BoM was sure right, it has been raining solid for the last two days and doesn’t look like fining up until the weekend. You gotta take the opportunities when they are available.
More tomorrow but that will do for now.