Rossi pips Lorenzo in Catalunya thriller

Eurosport - Mon, 15 Jun 07:14:00 2009

Italian Valentino Rossi won a monumental battle with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo to triumph in the Catalan's home MotoGP race.

MOTORCYCLING 2009 Catalan GP Cataluña Valentino Rossi Jorge Lorenzo - 0

The riders are now tied on 106 points at the summit of the World Championship standings alongside Ducati's Casey Stoner, who finished third in Sunday's race.

Lorenzo, who had snatched a last-gasp pole from six-times champion Rossi, led for long stretches before the lead swapped several times on the final three laps.

There were several occasions where the two Yamahas almost touched as the fans - who were supporting FC Barcelona fan Lorenzo, but had a huge soft spot for Rossi - blared airhorns and bellowed them on.

It was edge-of-the-seat stuff, but Lorenzo left himself slightly open as they came around the final corner and Rossi tore up the inside for a memorable victory.

"It was a fantastic battle," Rossi said.

"The Yamahas were flying, we got away from the field and I quickly saw that it would be between Jorge and I," he added.

"The final lap was incredible, with two or three incredible braking manoeuvres, and I didn't know whether I could overtake on the last corner but I went for it."

Lorenzo was amazed at his arch-rival's audacity.

"I wasn't expecting him to take me at that point but he was more courageous than me and deserved the win," he said after the race.

"He's an old dog and I wasn't intelligent enough to anticipate his move but it's fine.

"The important thing is that the spectators were able to enjoy a race that went to the very last corner."

Behind the leaders Stoner eventually managed to open up a gap on the excellent Andrea Dovizioso, who matched his fourth-placed grid spot in the race, while Loris Capirossi took an impressive fifth after starting from 11th.

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, who suffered injury in qualifying and started from eighth, was rampant in the early stages as he went past Repsol Honda team-mate Dovizioso, but was unable to make it stick and trailed Rizla Suzuki's Capirossi by the finish.

In seventh was Yamaha Tech 3's Colin Edwards - his British team-mate James Toseland came in 13th - with Honda's Randy De Puniet leading home Ducati Pramac's Mika Kallio and factory Ducati man Nicky Hayden for eighth.

Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) and Alex de Angelis (Honda Gresini) finished ahead of Toseland, with Marco Melandri (Kawasaki) and Sete Gibernau (Ducati Onde 2000) behind the Sheffield rider.

Hungarian 250cc star Gabor Talmacsi trailed in last on his MotoGP debut behind Niccolo Canepa, while Yuki Takahashi and Antonio Elias retired.

MotoGP Catalunya: Watch highlights of the MotoGP, 125cc and 250cc races on British Eurosport or the Eurosport Player at 19:30 on Sunday; Also available on your PC via the Player are the complete races, without commentary - click on the link under the photo to subscribe

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

Comment 27 - 46 of 106

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  1. Fantastic race, but please Eurosport, sort out the­ commentators! Carlton was Dramatically terrible!!

    Is­ he a fish, take a breathe once in a while man!

    From scudmotodude, on Sun 14 Jun 8:05PM

  2. Any constructive article on moto gp is just fine by­ me.This article expresses my feelings for the best moto­ gp race of the seaon so far. rossi rules!

    From Mike, on Sun 14 Jun 7:57PM

  3. Why on earth does Eurosport publish such grammatical­ drivel as that submitted by Stanley j commenting on­ Vale's win at Montmelo. His presentation was an­ insult to the language which he obviously has little­ command of.

    From amneecharl, on Sun 14 Jun 7:42PM

  4. ther was no way that Lorenzo or Rossi could break away­ from each other so the doktor play it very smart­ althoug to wait until the last corner is somthing that­ only great riders can do..I saw Roosi many times doing­ this way of overtaking.
    Great win for Rossi.

    From Ra, on Sun 14 Jun 7:29PM

  5. As swift750's' wife, i would just like to add­ that that has to be the best race i have ever seen. it­ was brilliant, just wish every race had that­ "i'm about to have a heart attack"­ feeling!!

    From chris, on Sun 14 Jun 7:21PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    A friend told me Rossi is celebrating this impressive­ win at a gay bath house in downtown barca.

    From Robert, on Sun 14 Jun 7:20PM

  7. Best race since Laguna last year

    From coker968, on Sun 14 Jun 7:16PM

  8. That race was out of this world. Rossi is the best. We­ have seen it all before, but I almost had a heart­ attack and almost knocked out my wife with my flailing­ arms after that last corner action. Totally exhausted-­ Valy is trully the GOAT!! The way he is schooling these­ young riders means that racing will live on when Rossi­ retires

    From chris, on Sun 14 Jun 7:16PM

  9. its icredible race i ve seen for ages go-on vale

    From DUDU, on Sun 14 Jun 7:10PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    What for? Just to follow each other round and then­ sort it out in the last corner?

    From Donald D, on Sun 14 Jun 7:06PM

  11. I hope F1 fans were watching that so they could see­ what they are missing and what real racing is all­ about, Fantastic race Rossi is just a GOD.

    From ozzy o, on Sun 14 Jun 7:00PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hey Lorenzo , Since you haven't won the title ,­ please zip up your smelly mouth and don't bark­ against the CHAMP! Forza VALEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE,­ Forza ITALIA

    From Maverick, on Sun 14 Jun 6:37PM

  13. After the DOC going to the TT & ALLMOST SAYING Mr­ McGuinness & co are the GLADIATORS & GOT BIGGER­ BALLS than him i agreed. Until the last lap ! YOU ALL­ HAVE VERY BIG BALLS !Superb racing keep it up !

    From g.j.aunger123, on Sun 14 Jun 6:35PM

  14. 46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-4­ 6-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46­ -46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-­ 46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-4­ 6-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46-46­ -46-46-46-46-46-46-46-THATS *99* 46's- THE NUMBER­ OF GPS ROSSI HAS WON: NOW HE IS GOING FOR THE TON! GO­ ROSSI!

    From Robert H, on Sun 14 Jun 6:28PM

  15. That was awesome....As good if not better than Laguna­ Seca last year.

    From geffo1, on Sun 14 Jun 6:17PM

  16. The best Dice I have seen in over 30 years of­ marshalling and spectating. Respect to all racers, but­ the Doctor and "young" Jorge were incredible­ today, wonderful!

    From slaphead666, on Sun 14 Jun 6:06PM

  17. tat was an awesome race..yep..lorenzo is gud..bt rossi­ is great..no the greatest ever!!! bt i still felt tat­ he made the job luk tougher than he shud..on one of the­ lefthanders he alwyz ended up takin a wider line which­ alwyz gave lorenzo some more track.. nwez lorenzo hs so­ mch potential and gv rossi a gud fite for his­ crown..stoner is also gud and consistent..bt without d­ ducatiz pace i dnt think he cud match rossi..itz has­ better pace on the straightz..rossi alwyz knwz wen to­ overtk..rossi which ever ride he is has, has alwyz­ shown tat unlike in F1, the man who is doin all the­ ridin is wat materz more than the machine.. -VR46 for­ life

    From stanley, on Sun 14 Jun 6:05PM

  18. that was a real fantastic­ race......rossi...u...da...bosss

    From ediee, on Sun 14 Jun 5:59PM

  19. The King is back....

    From ivanelessar, on Sun 14 Jun 5:24PM

  20. I healed by DOCTOR!!!!!!! Forza Rossi

    From Maverick, on Sun 14 Jun 5:04PM
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