Toseland: Two years ago I was in tears.

"I'm a happy boy now! This is what I wanted to thank the Superbike championship for the seven years they've given me. I've had a great career here and I'm going to miss everyone," said JT, who will ride for Yamaha Tech 3 in 2008. "Winning this second championship has rounded things off nicely and now I can move on."

Toseland joined the premier SBK class in 2001, took his first podium in 2002, first win in 2003 and first world title in 2004 - but then plummeted back down to earth with a disappointing 2005 season, which left him unemployed and in tears.

"I've been fortunate to work with some great people during my time here," began the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider. "When I first came here with GSE, they and Neil Hodgson taught me how to ride a motorcycle properly. All I was was a piano-playing kid with a bit of natural talent, who just dedicated his life to riding motorcycles. I needed nurturing to actually ride to a world championship level.

"From GSE I went to the factory team of Ducati, which taught me a lot about what a factory can offer. They and Davide Tardozzi gave me the bike and the package to win my first World Superbike championship at 23 years old. That will always be strong in my mind, but then came the disappointments of 2005 - the inconsistencies, the crashes, the injuries and finishing fourth in the championship.

"Then I lost my job. I walked away from this very track, two years ago, in tears. With nothing. Nobody wanted me. So I've had my best memories and my worst memories here at Magny-Cours," he admitted.

Toseland's career was rejuvenated by the Dutch-based Ten Kate team, which hired the Englishman to replace future MotoGP winner Chris Vermeulen for 2006.

"I went to see Ten Kate and Honda three or four weeks after I was sacked and Roger, my manager, said 'they're offering this'. I said 'whatever it is, whatever they want, I'm putting a signature on a piece on paper today because this is my chance to get back into the game'," explained Toseland. "The Ten Kate team welcomed me with open arms and gave me the chance to be world champion again. The success we've had, finishing second last year and then going one better this year, is amazing."

Shortly after handing Ten Kate its first ever WSBK title, Toseland reflected on what has driven him to achieve such success.

"One thing I've always done is put 110% in, and with that you can't have any regrets - because I can't do any more. And doing everything is capable of being world champion. That's where I'm lucky, because a lot of people here put 110% in and for whatever reason they don't get the chance to achieve what I'm achieving," he said.

"I've been fortunate enough to work with some great people that have given me the chance, with my 110% and their 110%, to actually achieve everything. From 16 years old that's all I've done.

"I had some hard bereavement just before I was 16 and I was at a crossroads of being a bit of a tearaway or having something to focus and filter that anger and frustration out," he revealed. "Fortunately I found motorcycle racing and ever since that has fuelled me to become the best in the world at something. Without that I don't know if I would have been World Superbike champion, but that was how my life panned life.

"When I got my MotoGP deal [for 2008], I sent a text to my mum and thanked her for lending me ?15,000 to race when I was 16 years old. ?15,000 was a bloody lot of money to us I tell you. She just sent back 'Never in my wildest dreams had I thought ?15,000 would become World Superbike champion. I know this is your dream'. That's what it's all about," stated the 27-year-old.