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| 24 Jun 2009 10:16:57 pm |
 Bike Fest Weekend |
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Bike racing fans are in for a treat this weekend, with MotoGP at Assen on Saturday and the World Superbikes coming home to Donington on Sunday.
Following Jonathan Rea's fantastic win at Misano last weekend, Shakey Byrne finally getting on the podium and a wild card ride from Leon Camier, British fans hopes are high. Of course, we also have Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes representing our country. And there's not forgetting everyone's favourite, the lovable Noriyuki Haga!
MotoGP fans will also be hoping for more of the same from Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, following their epic battle in Spain 10 days ago, don't forget that Assen is a Saturday race!
Valentino Rossi - "A special track""Assen is a very special track for all riders and it is a wonderful place to ride a MotoGP bike, even if it was better before they changed the layout. Last year I had my worst point of the season there so I want to make up for that with a good performance, because the fans are very passionate and they deserve a good show. After Barcelona we know how strong we are but also our rivals are strong too so we can't afford to relax, we have to keep pushing. Montmel was fantastic, one of my best wins ever, but the championship is very close between the three of us and so we have to try to win again to take the lead. There is still a long way to go but we have to remain consistent."
Jorge Lorenzo - "My favourite track""I could never have imagined after the crash in Jerez that I would have the opportunity to become leader again so quickly, but here we are at the front with Casey and Valentino! The last three races have been fantastic and almost unbelievable, and now for the three of us it's almost like we're starting the championship all over again. Assen is my favourite track and I am going there feeling very confident in my bike and my Bridgestone tyres and with all the team feeling very motivated. Last year I was sixth so the most important thing is to improve on that, but of course I am aiming for another podium, because consistency is the way to remain close to the top of the standings. We had a positive test in Barcelona and now I will hope to show our improvements with an even better performance in Holland."
Post your comments here and let us know what you thought of the action. |
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Posted By : admin
| Category : MotoGP |  Comments[0] |  Trackbacks [0]
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| 14 Jun 2009 07:22:26 pm |
| Rossi Takes Win At Lorenzo's Home Track |
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Valentino Rossi took a sensational win at the MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix today, edging out Lorenzo on the very last corner, after the two exchanged blows in a breathtaking last lap. Incredibly, it has been some years since MotoGP fans have seen a latp lap overtake and it will be some time before we witness such a close finish, just one hundreth of a second separating the two after 25 thrilling laps. It is Rossi's 99th career victory.
The two Yamaha riders were a class apart all weekend with no one coming close to matching their pace, Stoner was a distant 3rd and physically exhausted at the end of the race.
Incredibly, Rossi, Lorenzo and Stoner are all on 106 points at the top of the leaderboard, the riders have a two-week break into the Dutch TT at Assen, which is a Saturday race.
Valentino Rossi, 1st"
As we say in Italy, "Mamma Mia!" I think I can honestly say that this was one of the best and hardest wins of my career. Maybe Laguna last year was more important but this was a great, great victory because it went to the very last corner and it's a long time since that has happened. I have dreamed about that move for the last two weeks and today it worked and I am so happy to have this 99th win. We did a perfect job all weekend and my M1 and Bridgestone tyres were brilliant, but we knew that Lorenzo was in the same situation and for sure he was very strong today. I had to be very brave and take it right to the limit in order to beat him. This victory today is more important than the 25 points and anyway now we all have the same, what a championship this is! As well as thanking my team, I especially want to dedicate this win to my Crew Chief Jeremy Burgess because his mother sadly died yesterday. I have to say thank you to her and to him because without him, for sure, I would never have arrived at 99 wins. Now I am going to go to sleep for quite a long time because I need to recover from this excitement!"
Jorge Lorenzo, 2nd"This was an incredible battle today and a brilliant show for everyone, I am happy to have been a part of it. Of course I am sad to have lost because I put my heart on my bike and in my career I am more used to winning these last-lap fights, but today Valentino was maybe a little bit cleverer or a little bit braver than me at the very end and he was able to beat me. In fact during that last lap, after I passed him, I expected him to pass me back on the brakes much earlier but he didn't come, and then I just didn't close the line enough on the final corner and that was it. I am proud however because I am young and I still have a lot to learn in this class. My team have worked so well all weekend so thanks to them, if we can continue as strongly as this all season then who knows what can happen?"
Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team) 3rd “I haven’t felt in great shape all weekend – I wasn’t ill but I wasn’t quite myself. Then last night I couldn’t sleep, I probably got a couple of hours at the most, and after just a couple of laps this morning I was destroyed. I decided to race myself, basically, and bring home as many points as I could manage but my bike was fantastic and that is why I was able to ride it to a really valuable podium. The team did a perfect job after the warm-up and if I wasn’t so ill, I think I could have stayed with Valentino and Jorge until the end, although I’m not saying I could have beaten them. I started to suffer from really strong cramps and I could barely ride – I was falling over the front of the bike in the hard-braking areas and I was struggling to keep my concentration. I thought about stopping but decided to just back off for a while and try to hang on for a top ten. The bike was so good that I was able to keep up a decent pace and hold off Dovizioso. Tonight I’ll try to get plenty of rest and recover my strength for the test tomorrow because this is an important period in the championship and we need to test. After that it’s Assen and I’m already looking forward to it.” |
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| Category : MotoGP | Comments[0] | Trackbacks [0]
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| 09 Jun 2009 10:46:35 pm |
| MotoGP Goes to Catalunya, Spain |
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Following an end to Valentino Rossi's formidable run of form at Mugello 10 days ago, the MotoGP heros travel to Spain this weekend. The 2009 championshiop is wide open with Rossi, Stoner and Lorenzo all with just a few points, Dani Pedrosa already seems a distant 4th following his crash in Mugello.
Let's hope for some close racing, sadly with the introduction of more 'rider-aids', there seems to be less overtaking, believe it or not it is over 4 years since we saw an change of lead on the final lap, I hope this is not a sign of the future meaning the ultimate motorcycle racing championship becomes more of a procession, similar to that seen on the Formula 1 circuit!
Rossi interview;
"Hoping for a second Spanish win!"
"Mugello was disappointing but still we took some good points and now, entering one of the most important phases of the championship, this is very important. We still haven't found the perfect answer to make my M1 exactly how I want but Barcelona is a good track for us so hopefully we can make the final step there, also since we will finally have a chance to test on Monday. Barcelona is, along with Mugello and Phillip Island, one of my favourite tracks and I always love racing there. I have taken one Spanish win so far this season so I am hoping for another this weekend. We need to keep focused and use what we learnt in Mugello to put us in the right shape. Finally I am hoping for good weather because I don't think these flag-to-flag races in the wet and the dry suit me very well!"
Brit James Toseland will be looking to justify a MotoGP ride for a third year, following a disappointing start to the season.
Montmelo': Record Lap
D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2008, 1'42.358
Montmelo': Best Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1'41.186
Grand Prix Results: Montmelo' 2008
1. D. Pedrosa (Honda) 43'02.175
2. V.Rossi (Yamaha) +2.806
3. C.Stoner (Ducati) +3.343 |
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