Rossi gives his mum a Monster

A Rossi Replica Monster 696 as a present to his mother

TYPICAL gifts for mothers are usually the token box of chocolates, some smellys and - at a stretch - flowers. Valentino Rossi on the other hand has given his mum a Ducati Monster 696.

Mother of the MotoGP great Stefania, or Stefy as she is known in the paddock, had wished for a Monster, “I’ve dreamed of it all my life and now finally i have it. I told him over the years that if you ever go to Ducati, then you’ve got to get me a Ducati Monster,” she said

"I used to have a Yamaha scooter, but riding a bike with gears is completely a different emotion. I’ve already gone from Tavullia to San Giovanni in Marignano, I’d like to try the Panoramica, but for a woman of my age... “

Obviously the Monster 696 is the Rossi MotoGP replica with the number 46 on the tank and splashes of yellow, the colour that is closely associated with her son's career.

Rumours were circulating that Rossi was to become a papà himself, however Stefy was quick to deny them, “We talked about this rumor at Mugello and wondered how these stories surface, since it’s not true.”