Rossi falls in title showdown !

American Nicky Hayden took advantage of a rare error by five-times champion Valentino Rossi to claim his first MotoGP world title in a dramatic race in the season-ending grand prix in Valencia on Sunday. Rossi, who went into the final race with an eight-point lead in the standings, slid off into the gravel as he lost control of his front tyre on the fifth lap and was unable to make up the lost ground.

The Italian finished in 13th place, but it was Hayden who took the title with a third place finish behind winning Ducati duo Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi. Rossi pulled alongside Hayden as he took the plaudits on his lap of honour and sportingly shook the Honda rider's hand.

The 25-year-old American, whose title chances seemed to have evaporated when he was brought down by team mate Dani Pedrosa in the penultimate race in Portugal, collapsed to his knees as he lit a series of firecrackers on the Ricardo Tormo track.

"I'm really proud," Hayden, visibly shaking with emotion as tears ran down his cheeks, told Spanish state television. "We didn't give up even when we were down and we never gave up fighting."``It was only the third time in the history of the premier class that a rider lying in second place in the standings going into the final race ended up winning the title. Italian great Giacomo Agostini did it to take the first of his eight 500cc world titles when he overhauled Mike Hailwood in 1966 and American Wayne Rainey repeated the feat in 1992 when he pipped Mick Doohan to the championship.

Rossi started the race as favourite to win a sixth consecutive world title in the blue riband category after earning his fifth pole position of the year. But the Italian made a slow start and dropped to seventh by the end of the first lap as Bayliss set the early pace. Hayden's Honda team mate Dani Pedrosa slotted into second and then let the American slip past him while he concentrated on keeping Rossi at bay.

But Rossi's chances of winning a sixth successive title went up in smoke when the front wheel of his Yamaha slipped from underneath him and the bike slid out into the gravel as he exited a corner on the fifth lap. The Italian managed to remount his bike but lost over 25 seconds on the leaders and dropped back into 19th place.

Hayden slotted into third place behind the Ducati duo of Bayliss and Capirossi, while Rossi did his utmost to pick off the riders to get among the points and keep his title hopes alive. Rossi finally managed to thread his way through the field to take 13th spot but it was not enough to prevent Hayden dispossessing him of the world championship.