Like many other great things, the Official Valentino Rossi Fan Club was born in Tavullia almost as a joke, out of a wish to have fun. By now, so many years after 1997, when its official birth was declared, it is the most enduring sport fan club in the world and one of the most loved. It created innumerable skits and funny scenes to celebrate Rossi’s victories. It is a band of friends whom thousands of fans joined to create the “yellow people”, who thanks to the work and the organization of the Fan Club offer a show with every race. Further to his talent, also loved are Valentino’s fondness, sincerity, Gascon humour: the man before the champion, as is shown by the fact that the number of his fans kept growing in the last years. It is an important sign for the Fan Club too, as it is now busy with a “second stage” of its existence, oriented to keeping the Doctor’s story alive and offering new emotions and Tavullia is at the very core of the project. The city is the destination of a sport pilgrimage by tourists from all over the world, as is testified by the innumerable graffiti and stickers which cover the road signs bearing the city’s name. The “Yellow Park” is now being set up here, near the headquarters of the Fan Club. It will be a dedicated green area, with games and activities which shall take place between original objects used for the most famous celebration gags, such as the legendary one involving the Polleria Osvaldo (Osvaldo’s chicken farm).
The city walls were instead covered with enlargements of unreleased photographs, creating an open-air museum which shall inspire all lovers of motorbiking. The same inspiration which led Franco Morbidelli to come to Babbucce, a borough of Tavullia’s, to make his dream come true and defy his Idol Valentino. After he came here, Tavullia can boast it hosts three Motorcycles Grand Prix aces: further to Morbidelli Rossi, of course, and his stepbrother Luca Marini. Young pilots grow up together in the VR46 Academy, based in Tavullia, and train screeching their tyres in nearby Valentino’s Ranch. Furthermore, into the circuit of the Ranch takes place every year the “100 kilometres”, a couples competition joined by champions from all over the world. Talented bikers blossom and mature and the number of fans grows along. To honour Morbidelli, in 2019 an Official Fan Club was created in Babbucce. With the typical enthusiasm of the young, it organizes events, offers merchandising gadgets and assembles fans. They are all pushed by the same passion for motorbiking which in Tavullia infects all boys, who grow dreaming they will emulate their heroes.
Fan Club di Valentino Rossi