Rossi nominated for Sportsman of the Year award
But he won't get to meet Stephanie Rice at glitzy ceremonyReigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi's achievements in 2008 have been recognised with a nomination for the World Sportsman of the Year award.
Rossi's rivals for the prize will be Olympic gold medal winners Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps; Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, ATP tennis world No. 1 Rafael Nadal; and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
The final shortlist came after a ballot of media in 112 countries. Previous winners of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award include Roger Federer (2005-2008), Michael Schumacher (2002/2004), Lance Armstrong (2003) and Tiger Woods (2000-2001).
The Laureus awards also include best sportswoman - won by Cathy Freeman in 2001 - the world team of the year, the comeback of the year, and best newcomer.
There won't be a glitzy awards ceremony in 2009, and the individual winners will be announced piecemeal over May and June.
Unfortunately for Rossi, that means he won't get to rub shoulders with Australia's glamour girl Stephanie Rice, who has been nominated in the Sportswoman of the Year category alongside Ethiopian distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba, American tennis ace Venus Williams, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa and American skier Lindsay Vonn.
Greg Norman and Australian cyclist Anna Meares will go head-to-head for the World Comeback of the Year award, while surfer Stephanie Gilmore is up for Action Sportsperson of the Year honours.
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