Ducati's Sete Gibernau set the pace in last year's Barcelona race only to see Rossi take victory.

BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Motorbikes | Rossi targets Barcelona hat-trick

Sete Gibernau is already out of this week's race after crashing last weekend.

BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Motorbikes | Rossi aims to race despite crash

Vanderlei Batista rode the animal through the southern town of Passa Sete on Tuesday despite an earlier legal ruling banning him from doing so.

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Meanwhile, Collins also ran the rule over Thierry Gathuessi, a 25-year-old defender with French Third Division outfit Sete, and an unnamed striker against Vocklabruck.

BBC: SPORT | Football | My Club | Hibernian | No move for Murphy, says Collins

Rossi's chief rival for honours this season has been Sete Gibernau and the Movistar Honda rider expects to be a factor once again at Mugello.

BBC: Rossi leads the MotoGP standings by 37 points