[Ducati] OVER 30,000 FANS PACK INTO BOLOGNA’S CITY CENTRE FOR DUCATI CELEBRATIONS

[Veloce916 at aol.com]

OVER  30,000 FANS PACK INTO BOLOGNA’S CITY CENTRE FOR DUCATI  CELEBRATIONS 
More than  30,000 fans packed into the famous Piazza Maggiore square in the 
centre of  Bologna yesterday (Sunday) for a spectacular event organised by the 
city and  provincial authorities, together with the Borgo Panigale 
manufacturer, to  celebrate Ducati’s fantastic World MotoGP title victory. 
The event  was the climax of a series of initiatives involving the company 
and the city,  which began on Saturday morning. Ducati fans and enthusiasts came 
from all over  Italy and abroad to visit the factory  and the museum, which 
were open to the public all weekend, while groups of  motorcyclists peacefully 
invaded the city centre.  
On Sunday  afternoon everyone congregated in the city centre square for hours 
of  entertainment provided by the event’s official radio broadcaster Radio 
105, and  by top Italian DJ Ringo and TV presenter Gerry Scotti. 
Ducati  Motor Holding CEO, Gabriele Del Torchio, got the proceedings 
underway: “This  is a truly fantastic day. A square full of people like this needs no 
comment,  and I don’t think there has ever been a greater demonstration of 
affection and  warmth for Ducati than this. Our clubs and thousands of Ducatisti 
have travelled  from all over the world to be here and to celebrate this 
incredible world title  with us. It is a really great day for Ducati and it helps 
us feel the love of  all of our fans. After a period of 34 years the world 
MotoGP title has returned  to Italy and to ‘motorland’  Bologna.” 
The  programme of entertainment, presented by Gerry  Scotti, included 
concerts by top Italian groups Zero Assoluto and Roy Paci and a  monologue from 
comedian Giuseppe Giacobazzi, before the appearance of Ducati  Corse with its 
champions - the Y2K Women’s team, 2007 Superstock World Champion  Niccolò Canepa, 
double World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss and world champion Loris  
Capirossi. MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner was unable to be present at the  
celebrations after Wednesday’s crash in MotoGP testing in Jerez, but he sent a video 
from Australia, where  he is currently undergoing treatment for his damaged 
shoulder ligaments.   
Official  Ducati MotoGP test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi burst  onto the stage 
with the awesome title-winning Desmosedici GP7 machine to be  greeted with 
ovation by Bologna’s fans, and they were then surrounded by the  team and 
management, engineers, technicians and mechanics, led by  Claudio  Domenicali 
(Ducati Corse CEO), Filippo Preziosi (Director  General) and Livio  Suppo (MotoGP 
Project Leader)  
“2007 has  been a really crazy year and we needed a day like today to 
celebrate everything” declared Claudio  Domenicali.  “I believe that being here, in 
the heart of the city, all  together, the company and its fans, is the best 
possible way for Ducati, whose  driving force is its passion, to celebrate this 
title”.   
In the  morning the MotoGP team was received by the Mayor of Bologna Sergio 
Cofferati  who bestowed on Ducati the “Nettuno d’Oro” award, not only for its 
fantastic  results on the track but also as a sign of recognition for how the 
company is a  perfectly integrated example of industry in the area. Casey 
Stoner and  Loris  Capirossi also received the “Turrita d’argento” award from the 
 city of Bologna  for their fantastic 2007 MotoGP season. 
Further  information are available at 
_http://www.ducati.com/news/07/news034/news034.jhtml_ (http://www.ducati.com/news/07/news034/news034.jhtml)  
Sponsors  of the event were BNL-BNP Paribas (main partner), Alice, Unipol 
Assicurazioni, Regione Emilia-Romagna, APT  Servizi and Radio 105.



**************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest 
products.
(http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)