Rossi wins sport award

Valentino Rossi has been awarded the ‘Spirit of Sport’ award at the annual Laureus World Sports Awards in Barcelona on Monday, May 22.

The ‘Spirit of Sport’ award was present to the Camel Yamaha rider for raising the profile of MotoGP during his five-year World Championship reign, and the trophy was present by Yamaha’s first World champion, Giacomo Agostini, and Formula One director Bernie Ecclestone.

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Rossi arrived on stage on board a Yamaha R1, having spent the day testing at the Le Mans circuit. He had also been nominated for the third year running in the ‘World Sportsman of the Year’ category, but lost out to Swiss tennis player Roger Federer. The awards are the only global awards across all sports each year, and the ceremony was presented by Hollywood actors Teri hatcher and Cuba Gooding Jnr.

“I am very happy to have received this award tonight, and very proud to be considered such an important ambassador for our sport,” said Rossi. “It’s also a big honour for me to be nominated once again for the main award alongside such great sportsmen.”