Why would he be? He's had it all too easy for a long time, look back a couple of years and who did you really expect to beat him? The field hadn't changed much since Roberts won in 2000, Max was never quite as good as Rossi, especially once they went 4/, Sete and Marco never even had proper factory support and Loris (probably the only one of the old guard who wasn't beaten before the race even started) hadn't had a factory ride since Aprilia fired him for nerfing Harada in the 250's. Only the emergence of Ducati as real front runners has saved him.
The "young guns" are a different story, Danni has the best 250 record (pro rata) EVER and has full HRC backing, Stoner has shown he's probably just as good, Marco was the youngest ever 250 champion, Hayden is coming of age and if Suzuki ever get everything to work for an entire race Vermulen may just surprise them all.

Rossi qualified 11th and 3 seconds off the pace, he's damn lucky Danni fell off and the Bridgestone runners didn't last race distance otherwise he'd have been at least three places and maybe five further down the field at the end of the race.

A new era indeed, another rookie on the podium, three races, three different manufacturers winning, Ducati winning (on Bridgestones), Suzuki's running on the pace and a Suzuki on pole (the first one since when??), it hasn't been this good for many a year.
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