20 YEARS LATER: "Bizarre" title-winning weekend as Neil Hodgson looks back on becoming World Champion
Two decades on from his title win, the Brit sat down to look back on the 2003 season, battling with teammate Ruben Xaus and the emotions of winning the Championship
2003 is a year that Neil Hodgson will never forget as he took the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship crown in stunning fashion. Engaged in a season-long fight with Ducati Fila teammate Ruben Xaus, a mega start to the season for the #100 allowed him to secure the title in Race 1 at Assen with five races to go. Now, 20 years on from that momentous year for the Brit, Hodgson sat down to discuss in detail winning the 2003 Championship, fighting with Xaus all year long and plenty more. Hodgson said: “I knew 2003 was my opportunity to win the world title. I had Ruben Xaus as my teammate, and I knew it was going to be between me and him. I wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip by. When you raced with Ruben, he wouldn’t give you any space. The weekend I won the Championship at Assen was the most bizarre weekend. Three days before, my wife had given birth to my daughter; my first ever child. It was hard to concentrate. I’m still angry because, in the race, I was in a really good battle with Ruben. I planned to pass him in the last corner but, at the penultimate corner, I was too fast, and I went off the edge of the track. I won the World Championship, but I was disappointed. Obviously, I was happy and celebrated once I’d calmed down.”
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