MotoGP: Valencia Preview -ozzy go- motorcycle-usa.com

The 2007 season has been a surprising one and now, after 17
rounds, it will come to a close this weekend at the Valencia finale.
With offseason rumors and speculation swirling, as well as the
series' flirtation with a single-tire rule coming to an end, only one
question matters: Can Casey Stoner cap off his '07 dominance
with yet another win over Valentino Rossi?

With a two-race winning streak, Ducati's Stoner has proven that a
title in hand hasn't diminished his desire to steal the checkers. If
anything, the lack of pressure has only increased his ability to
motor towards the top of the rostrum. Don't expect the 2007
MotoGP champion to change that plan this Sunday.

"Valencia will be a special weekend, the last race of a season that
has been a dream come true. The championship may already be
done but I don't need any more motivation than each race
weekend. Every race is just as important as the others to me, so
we go out there every time to try and win."

For Valentino Rossi, a win at Valencia will provide a sweet end to
what has been a bitter season. The Doctor, once untouchable and
without equal in MotoGP, has been second-best to Stoner during
2007. Dissatisfaction with his Michelin tires and legal troubles with
Italian tax authorities have been the headlines most associated
with Rossi's name in '07 rather than the usual one - winning GPs.
The Italian superstar just hasn't been the same since the 2006
Valencia GP, when the Yamaha ace low-sided away his customary
crown and watched Nicky Hayden celebrate amidst smokey
fireworks unleashed, embarrassingly, in colors reflecting Rossi's
Yamaha livery.

"The last race in Malaysia was a disappointment but also very
encouraging because, on race day, everything worked very well,"
said the Doctor on his fifth-place result last round. "Hopefully we
can use this to start on a good note at Valencia because Sepang
showed how important it is to start from the front. Valencia has
usually been a good track for me, although I don't have such
great memories from last year!"

Of course, the Stoner/Rossi faceoff is not the only question to be
answered on Sunday, as there are still positions in the title hunt
up for grabs.

While Signor Rossi is all but assured second-place in the overall
championship, at 24-points back Senor Dani Pedrosa has a long-
shot chance of catching the Doctor at Valencia. Although the
Repsol Honda rider's name has been associated with Rossi's in
the brewing Michelin/Bridgestone tire swap for 2008, in recent
rounds Pedrosa has been the most competitive rider aboard the
French treads. With nothing to lose, the Spaniard figures to ride
his Michelin-shod Honda for all its worth in front of the Spanish
crowd.

But with the Valencia GP the finale of an 18-round 2007 season,
everyone figures to be going for broke on Sunday. Topping the
list will be riders finishing off their '07 contracts and changing
scenery for '08.

Marco Melandri has a good thing going aboard his Bridgestone-
shod Gresini Honda and will try and best Stoner at the '07 finale
before he becomes the reigning champ's teammate for the 2008
season. Also Ducati-bound and looking for glory at Valencia is
Toni Elias. The future Pramac d'Antin rider goes incredible Hulk
whenever he visits the Iberian peninsula, so don't be shocked if
the Spanish Elias finds either the podium or the gravel on Sunday.
full story on motorcycle-usa.com - pics from motogp.com