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| Hayden claims shock world title | Hayden claims shock world title |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Nicky Hayden snatched the MotoGP crown from the grasp of five-time champion Valentino Rossi following a dramatic final race in Valencia on Sunday. | Nicky Hayden snatched the MotoGP crown from the grasp of five-time champion Valentino Rossi following a dramatic final race in Valencia on Sunday. |
| Rossi led the standings by eight points before the race but saw his hopes end after sliding out on lap five. | Rossi led the standings by eight points before the race but saw his hopes end after sliding out on lap five. |
| He got back on his Yamaha and finished 13th but American Hayden, 25, came home in third to take the title for Honda. | He got back on his Yamaha and finished 13th but American Hayden, 25, came home in third to take the title for Honda. |
| Australia's World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss, riding in place of the injured Sete Gibernau, won for Ducati. | |
| Hayden's title chances looked over just a fortnight ago when he crashed out of the Portuguese MotoGP after being hit by team-mate Dani Pedrosa. | |
| You dream about being world champion and dedicate your whole life to it, so when it comes true it is very special Nicky Hayden | |
| But the 'Kentucky Kid' bounced back to become the first American to win the premier class title since Kenny Roberts Jr in 2000. | |
| "I'm just real, really proud," said an emotional Hayden after the race. | |
| "You dream about being world champion and dedicate your whole life to it, so when it comes true it is very special. | |
| "I may not always have been the fastest but every race I've tried my hardest." | |
| Hayden enjoyed a 51-point advantage over Rossi, 27, in the standings after his victory in the US Grand Prix in Laguna Seca in July. | |
| But the Italian clawed his way back into contention before taking over the lead at Estoril following Hayden's mishap. |