It wouldn't be the winter without Valentino Rossi inviting the great and good of the motorcycling world to his Ranch for the 100km dei Campioni. The flat track event, now in its ninth year, will have the main event on Saturday when we'll see 20 teams and 40 riders go head-to-head in the endurance race.
First, all 40 riders will sharpen their elbows ahead of the 'Americana' race on Friday, held at The Ranch's oval circuit. HRC's newest signing Luca Marini claimed top spot in last year's warm-up race ahead of VR46 Academy teammates Franco Morbidelli and Celestino Vietti.
The Doctor will then be looking to bounce back and reclaim his title on Saturday. The nine-time World Champion, paired up with brother Marini, was dethroned last year by former Grand Prix riders Elia Bartolini and Lorenzo Baldassarri.
This year's entry list includes the MotoGP™ World Champion Pecco Bagnaia, Marco Bezzecchi, Franco Morbidelli, Luca Marini, VR46 new boy Fabio Di Giannantonio and the GASGAS Factory Racing duo of Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez.
Also keep your eye on some up-and-coming stars like Diogo Moreira, Manuel Gonzalez, Celestino Vietti and Dennis Foggia from the intermediate class, plus Moto3™ riders Jose Antonio Rueda, Ivan Ortola, Tatsuki Suzuki and Matteo Bertele.