Message from fivefilters.org: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it. The man himself might rate it as something of a tall order, but Casey Stoner is the rider to dethrone record-breaking MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi in 2010, reckons Steve Parrish – and in so doing reclaim for both himself and Ducati the glory that was last theirs three years ago.Last year was a tough one for Stoner, as illness forced him to miss the mid-season Czech Republic, US and San Marino rounds on the premier class calendar – costing the Australian all hope of bidding for glory, as back-to-back late-season victories on home turf at Phillip Island and at Sepang in Malaysia went to demonstrate what perhaps might have been. Having been outpaced by Yamaha arch-rival and nine-time world champion Rossi for two consecutive days during pre-season testing at Sepang three weeks ago, Stoner hinted that he will have his work cut out to topple the seemingly invincible Italian over the course of the coming months [see separate story – click here] – but former rider and truck racer-turned-BBC MotoGP commentator Parrish reckons if anybody can give ‘The Doctor’ a dose of his own medicine in 2010 and future campaigns, it is the 24-year-old from Queensland.“Yeah, I think they can,” the 1978 British 500cc Champion told Crash.net Radio, when asked if Rossi’s challengers can get the better of him this year. “I’ve actually gone for Casey this season, only because I just keep thinking (in relation to Rossi), nine world championships and 31-years-old, how long can you carry on being that brilliant? He is the greatest of all time as far as I’m concerned. I get a lot of stick from people saying ‘Ah, but what about Mike Hailwood?’, but in my generation Valentino Rossi has been the greatest. It won’t surprise me if he goes out there and wins another [title], but it must just get harder and harder for him every year.“I’m looking forward to seeing the top four – they call them the ‘Aliens’ out there – and I just hope that Dani Pedrosa doesn’t hurt himself at the start of the season, that Casey doesn’t get sick, which I’m sure he won’t, and it really should be a great battle. I think those four bikes are fairly evenly-matched; I don’t know who’s done the best work over…

Source: Crash.net