MotoGP
Happy on two wheels of any form, who are the dirt-loving MotoGP stars?
MotoGP riders are hardcore when it comes to physical fitness.
Gruelling training regimes, strict diets, wrestling the intense demands of a 240bhp machine and a heavy travel schedule all contribute to a stressful and exhausting routine.
On the flip side though they ride motorcycles for a living, and a lot of riders spend as much time as they can on two wheels to keep their instincts sharp.
Offroad riding is one of the favourite methods for the top names in MotoGP and dirt tracking, motocross and trials are all game – so here's a list of five of the most prolific fans of dirt bikes in MotoGP!
1. Marc Márquez: Winning in MotoGP just isn't enough!
You might think the MotoGP world champion wouldn't need to be out riding much between races, such has been his dominance of the sport for the past few years, but the Spaniard is keen as mustard when it comes to getting out on the dirt
Márquez loves motocross and dirt track, and has also tried his hand at trials riding too...
Marc started out learning his two-wheeled skills on a small dirt bike, and now regularly uses offroad as part of his training routine.
It's not been without incident though – Márquez broke his leg in an accident just before the start of the 2014 season, but it didn't seem to hold him back much as his ten-race winning streak at the start of that campaign proved!
2. Colin Edwards: Beer, barbecues and riding
Colin Edwards doesn't like riding dirt bikes, he loves it!
It's a hobby that led the American former MotoGP rider to open his own riding school, the Texas Tornado Boot Camp, where he regularly receives riders of all ages and abilities.
There, he indulges his visitors in all manner of pleasures as he tutors them in how to improve their abilities, while offering them a true all-American experience. Watch the video above to see what we mean!
3. Valentino Rossi: Why not just build a ranch?
Another man who takes great pleasure in getting sideways, the MotoGP legend has built his own playpen at home in Tavullia.
It is a huge dirt track where Rossi has had the likes of Guy Martin and Thomas Chareyre out for a race, he's obviously been doing it proper too because the neighbours are so annoyed they've tried to curtail his activities due to the noise!
4. Álvaro Bautista: Can't get enough motocross
Another Spanish MotoGP star with a penchant for taking a few risks on a less than even surface is Álvaro Bautista.
The Honda racer loves to ride motocross, and is a huge fan of the sport too, getting along to races whenever possible.
Bautista has had his share of mishaps too though, with his rookie season in MotoGP in 2010 interrupted early by a broken collarbone suffered while training on his MX machine.
5. Andrea Dovizioso: MX fan
Like Bautista, Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso loves to ride and watch motocross. The Ducati MotoGP rider has been spotted at numerous international MX events, and is often seen out on a bike himself getting some action in.
Dovizioso's own MX experiences haven't been without incident either. In the build-up to the 2012 MotoGP season he came off a bike when training, and broke a collarbone.
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