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NEWS
Biaggi calls time on illustrious career
And like Australian Troy Bayliss at the end of 2008, will retire at the peak of his powers as the reigning world superbike championFour-time 250 GP title winner and two-time world superbike champion Max Biaggi is to retire from motorcycle racing. The 41-year-old announced his departure in a press conference at the Vallelunga circuit in Italy, where he began his road racing career.
Biaggi claimed 21 wins and 70 podiums in a six-year world superbike career, with the majority of that success coming in a four-year stint with Aprilia, where he won his two titles in 2010 and 2012 – this year by just half-a-point over Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes.
Biaggi’s first grand prix season was 1992, after which he went onto win four successive 250cc titles before graduating to the 500cc class in 1998. He remained there, campaigning on Yamaha and Honda machinery, until he departed the scene at the end of 2005 with three championship runner-up trophies. After sitting out of racing for a year, Biaggi joined the world superbike paddock in 2007 on a Suzuki, before joining a privateer Ducati team in 2008. He then linked up with Aprilia from 2009 as the company debuted its new RSV4 sports bike.
Like Aussie Troy Bayliss at the end of 2008, Biaggi retires as the reigning world superbike champion to become the ‘family man’. Biaggi has a wife and two children.
Aprilia will now begin the search for a Biaggi replacement, with Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli – who recently pulled out of an in-principle deal to ride a Suzuki in 2013 – the hot tip to partner incumbent Eugene Laverty.
The 2013 world superbike title begins at Phillip Island from February 22-24. To buy discounted pre-paid tickets, click here.
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Written byBikesales Staff
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