The Centurion

Valentino has won his 100^th Grand Prix in commanding fashion ahead of teammate Jorge Lorenzo and an ailing Casey Stoner at Assen. After starting from pole the Italian reached the milestone after reclaiming the lead from Stoner on lap two. It was another disappointing race for Stoner who was unable to attend media appearances post race, instead being treated for ‘exhaustion’ by medics in his trailer.

It was Dani Pedrosa who stole the start as Jorge Lorenzo dropped to sixth, the Repsol rider held his lead for much of the first lap, until Casey Stoner launched an attack that carried his Alice Ducati from third, past Rossi in second and Dani Pedrosa for the lead.

It was a short lived lead for the Australian though, Rossi capitalising on a mistake to reclaim the lead soon after and make an immediate lead.

As Lorenzo launched his comeback and climbed past Chris Vermeulen for fourth Stoner’s teammate Nicky Hayden was having his best race on a Ducati, at the head of a queue of 6 riders fighting for eighth.

On lap four Lorenzo made his way past the injured Pedrosa and into third, and immediately set off after Stoner and Rossi. For Pedrosa, the furious pace was too much, and when his front end folded on lap five Pedrosa crashed out of the race, and out of championship contention.

As the riders at the front stretched out, each riding lonely races, the battle for seventh between Mika Kallio, Loris Capirossi, James Toseland, Nicky Hayden, Randy de Puniet and Alex de Angelis was just heating up.

Eager not to fall back into the clutches of the peloton behind, Andrea Dovizioso pushed too hard. The second of the Repsol Honda’s fell in identical fashion to lead rider Pedrosa, elevating the vibrant battle for seventh to a battle for sixth place.

Ahead, Rossi was maintaining a steady lead from Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner, with Colin Edwards and Chris Vermeulen holding station in fourth and fifth.

The battle for sixth continued to be the focal point for fans though, as first Toseland, then De Puniet fought with Kallio, the Fin fighting both off in turn.

In the meantime Tony Elias had made a rapid charge back to the tail of the main group, and as De Puniet dropped to ninth the two teammates collided, but Elias made the pass stick and took ninth.

Hayden meanwhile had found his way back to the front of the pack but when he backed his bike sideways into the right hander before the flip-flop the American found himself hustled back to 11^th, leaving Mika Kallio on the Pramac Ducati the second Ducati behind Stoner.

In a style more befitting the battle for the lead in a 125cc or 250 race, the last lap unleashed mayhem on the fight for sixth, with Mika Kallio crashing out of sixth pushing hard through the double left hander, the fight for sixth became a royal rumble.

Capirossi, Elias and Toseland all found themselves off the track at the chicane, but in the end it was Britain’s Toseland who faired best, crossing the line sixth ahead of Randy De Puniet and Nicky Hayden.

There was no such mayhem at the front of the field for, with both Rossi and Lorenzo having time to organise celebratory wheelies as they crossed the line. Stoner was more subdued, and the Australian was whisked to his trailer for medical attention immediately following the race.

Rossi’s 100^th race win breaks the championship deadlock and leaves him five points clear of teammate Lorenzo, and nine points clear of Stoner heading into Laguna Seca.

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