Bayliss hints at comeback

It may be a surprise coming from a triple world superbike champion and one of the modern legends of the sport, but motorcycling is not Troy Bayliss' first love – bicycling is.

That of course did not stop the 41-year old Aussie from winning three WSB titles with Ducati, in 2001, 2006 and in 2008, which was when he retired. However, while in Dubai recently to launch Ducati's operations in the country, Bayliss admitted to Emirates Business that rumours of his 2011 comeback had very solid foundations.

"Yes, I have been testing with Ducati since the beginning of the year," he said. "If everything works out and I get the right feeling about the bike and about my riding form, it [the comeback] may very well happen next season."

Bayliss has spent the spring at the Mugello track in Italy, recording some impressive lap times with Ducati's new bike for this year's WSB championship and his times have been good enough to hint that the former champion is taking the testing very seriously and practicing hard to be back on the grid come next year, or earlier.

Ducati's relatively dismal showing so far this season could also be the reason Bayliss got the call up to test in the first place – a team used to winning races suddenly found itself at the back of the grid. And it is widely believed that Bayliss would return to racing even earlier – at the Misano circuit this month.