Rossi ready to take on local hero at Jerez

FORMER MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi expects a hostile reception when he bids for his first win of the season in Spain on Sunday.

The Fiat Yamaha rider knows Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa will get the backing of his home crowd at Jerez and sees the young Spaniard as one of his main title rivals.

Rossi and Pedrosa will be looking to hit back at Australian Casey Stoner who used the superior top speed of the Ducati Marlboro machine to his advantage to win the opening round in Qatar.