On Track Off Road No.184

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WEAR IT WELL VALE...
More than Europe’s
largest MC store
Having recently celebrated my 40th birthday (I know,
thanks), there is an important life question that I have found
myself mulling over quite a lot: at what age is it still acceptable
for a man to wear a tracksuit?
You see, I am a big fan of the
tracksuit: sporty, comfortable, and
the closest you can come to looking
like an athlete without having
to bare your arms. There comes a
stage in every man’s life, however,
when you put on a tracksuit and
look less like Usain Bolt and more
like Elton John. The moment that
happens, you need a good friend
around to let you know.
So, what about the 40-year-old who
still goes to work in a trackie top,
cargo shorts, Monster Energy cap
and Nike Air high-tops? As a new
MotoGP season dawns, just weeks
after celebrating his own landmark
birthday, I fear Valentino Rossi
might well be facing the biggest crisis
of his professional career. And,
sadly, I don’t think Uccio is going to
be the guy to help him out on this
one.
Thankfully, Valentino has plenty
of other friends around the world,
as the occasion of his big FOUR-O
reminded us. Did you even see the
roll call on the video posted by motogp.com?
Global sports stars from
Diego Maradona to Roger Federer,
Marc Webber to Mick Doohan, and
a bunch of Italian pop stars and
actors who wouldn’t dream of an
Adidas two-piece, all chipped in
with their best wishes to make up a
star-studded birthday showreel.
And they’re just the ones who made
the cut!
Those who didn’t were forced to
post their own videos and photos,
on the auspices of wishing Valentino
a happy birthday although
in reality what they were actually
doing was trying to convince their
followers that they are good friends
with the man they fawningly call
the #GOAT by reposting a fan selfie
they took when they were supposed
to be working in what amounts to
nothing more than a self-serving,
social-media-age, heavyweight
name drop.
Ah yes, that’s the other thing about
turning 40: you become a cynical
old bastard. But having mastered
every other trick in the book, I’m
pretty sure VR nailed that one years
ago too.
I’m guessing Tom Cruise wasn’t
available to send a video, which is
a shame because if anybody knows
anything about growing old in style
it’s 56-year-old, self-confessed MotoGP
fanatic Tom.
In the most recent Mission Impossible
film the guy was wearing a
leather jacket with jeans and shoes,
and yet he still managed to not look
like your mum’s new boyfriend.
But, then, he did also commandeer
a helicopter in mid-flight, making
it hard to say which was the more
impressive stunt in the movie.