Ducati Globetrotter 90°: after the Trans-Siberian stage comes the Japanese adventure
Frenchman Laurent “Lolo” Cochet has reached Vladivostok, concluding stage two of the world tour to celebrate 90 years of Ducati
The Ducati torch is now with Belgian Jessica Leyne, the only woman among the 7 Globetrotters
Jessica will travel the roads of the Rising Sun, taking in glorious racetracks and historic collections
Borgo Panigale, Bologna (Italy), 19 September 2016 – The second stage of Ducati Globetrotter 90°, the world tour that sees a Multistrada 1200 Enduro take in the most symbolic places and roads in Ducati’s 90-year history, has now concluded. Having left Bologna on 4 July, the Globetrotter torch has arrived in Vladivostok (Russia) with French rider Laurent Cochet and been passed on to Jessica Leyne, the only woman among the seven fearless Globetrotters selected to take part in this world voyage.
Having left Moscow on 24 August, “Lolo” Cochet covered 9100 km in 22 days. Laurent crossed Russia, even completing one 1000 km stint without taking a break. Deviating from the Trans-Siberian highway, “Lolo” chose to cross the Altaï mountains, the remote peaks where Russia, Mongolia and China meet. At the border with Mongolia, he rode the famous M52 motorway for 1000 km, a road that leads to the wildest and most evocative regions of central Asia. Then it was on to Baikal lake, one of the world’s largest and deepest lakes and one of the “seven wonders of Russia”. In a landscape that, in Laurent’s own words, “blends panoramas typical of Mongolia, the Alps and the Dune of Pilat in France”. In Ulan-Ude, Clochet enjoyed part of the Mongol Rally, a non-competitive charity race. The French rider’s adventure came to an end in Vladivostok on 14 September.
Jessica Leyne, the only women taking part in Globetrotter 90°, has just begun her stage, departing from Tokyo, Japan. Jessica will travel for 2659 km along Japanese roads, recounting her adventures thanks to the Globetrotter “torch”: the now “famous” baton, created by the Ducati Design Centre, is equipped with a video camera so that travel diaries can be shared on globetrotter90.ducati.com
With a smile on her face, Jessica, who hails from Leke in Flanders, says she “has more oil and fuel than blood in her veins!”. She has ridden as far as Norway and Romania, Slovakia and Italy without anything getting in her way - “on a motorbike I’ve had many challenging days, but I’ve never had a single bad day! – she exclaims – At only 162 cm tall, I also ride high-performance bikes, for me it’s like riding a bicycle”.
Her journey will take her to Kyushu island, where she will visit the Hiroaki Iwashita museum in Yufu, home to the world’s only remaining prototype of the Ducati Apollo. With its 1257 cc, the Apollo was the first Ducati maxi-bike, created in 1968 by Fabio Taglioni. More importantly, the Ducati Apollo was the first 90° “L” twin, a distinctive feature of Ducati bikes ever since.
On 29 September, Jessica Leyne will be at the Twin Ring Motegi, the racetrack at which Casey Stoner won the MotoGP world title with Ducati in 2007. An unforgettable race for the Borgo Panigale manufacturer that, in addition to celebrating the world title with Stoner, was also on the podium with Loris Capirossi, riding the second Desmosedici. From Motegi, Jessica will continue on to Sugo where, at the Sportsland racetrack, Carl Fogarty won the 1998 race to secure his third Superbike world title, the seventh for Ducati.
Jessica’s adventure will conclude on 5 October, once she’s crossed the Pacific Ocean and reaches San Francisco. There, she will pass the bike and “torch” on to Brazilian Eduardo Generali, aged 28. He will take on the first part of the Stateside trip, riding as far as Indianapolis and covering 3900 km in 13 days.
Ducati selected more than 3000 candidates, all ready to take on this incredible trip, but only seven won this great opportunity. The “magnificent seven” will cover a total of 30,000 kilometres, each riding the Multistrada 1200 Enduro in solitude and carrying the symbolic Globetrotter torch to the most sacred places in Ducati’s 90-year history.
To follow the GLOBETROTTER 90° adventure: official site globetrotter90.ducati.com; Ducati Facebook page; Twitter and Instagram #globetrotter90