Starting from the fourth row, Valentino Rossi rode the perfect race to take victory number three of the 2007 season; closing the gap in the title chase to 21 points between himself and MotoGP World Championship leader Casey Stoner. Rossi left it late to make his decisive move on Stoner – who had been the runaway leader after taking the holeshot- finally passing his young rival on the 22nd lap and building up a three second advantage up until the chequered flag.
It had been a difficult start for the five-time MotoGP World Champion, who was held up early by a stubborn Loris Capirossi until the fifth lap. After passing the Ducati veteran, ‘The Doctor’ was unleashed on the rest of the field and flew up to fifth position before his seventh time past the line. Closing down a five second gap between himself and Stoner, Rossi found tenths of a second seemingly from nowhere to get right behind the Australian at the midway point.
First showing the threat that he posed to the series leader with a move on lap 15, his 22nd lap pass on the tight Assen chicane was the definitive moment of the race, and gifted Rossi victory number six at the ‘Cathedral of Motorcycle Racing’.
Stoner did himself no disgrace either, with a magnificent display of riding intelligence onboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP7. Mimicking Rossi’s lines before the Italian had a chance to use them himself to overtake, the 21 year-old impressed just as much as in previous races to take second place and keep his position at the head of the classification.
The three outstanding riders of the past two seasons were all present on the podium, with MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden returning to the rostrum in his best result of the season so far. ‘The Kentucky Kid’ confirmed that his Barcelona test and pre-crash Donington Park showings were a sign of a big step forward with the Honda RC212V, with a third place at the track where he won last season, and took an important psychological boost from both the position and his status as the highest placing Honda.
Dani Pedrosa was unable to match Hayden’s pace at the end after having been dragged along with the frontrunners at the midway point, and lost touch with his team-mate towards the finish. He did, however, have enough of an advantage over fifth placed John Hopkins to maintain his position.
Colin Edwards completed the top six at the A-Style TT Assen, ahead of the Pramac d’Antin Ducati duo of Alex Barros and Alex Hofmann. Anthony West again drew plaudits for his excellent ninth place in only his second appearance for Kawasaki, ahead of Gresini Honda rider Marco Melandri.
The only rider to crash in the MotoGP race was second placed qualifier Randy de Puniet, who collided with poleman Chris Vermeulen halfway through the race. Loris Capirossi retired with mechanical problems.
Bouncing back from his Donington Park DNF in the best possible way, Jorge Lorenzo took his sixth win of the season from as many pole positions in 250cc. The World Championship leader was in unstoppable form from the get-go, leaving his rivals with little more than scraps to fight for once he had imposed himself on the race.
Mattia Pasini took a runaway victory at Assen in the 125cc race, following on from his win at Donington with a dominant performance onboard the Polaris World Aprilia. The Italian – starting from pole for the sixth time this season - only relinquished the lead once over the course of the 22 lap race, at the first corner of lap one.
In a season plagued by mechanical problems and crashes, Pasini appears to have finally turned things around, appearing in the top ten for the first time this season as a result of his 50 point haul from the last two rounds.
Results: 1.Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 42'37.149,
2.Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati 42'39.058,
3. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 42'43.226,
4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 42'47.614,
5. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 42'50.287,
6. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 42'52.288,
7. Alex Barros (BRA) Ducati 43'13.224,
8. Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati 43'18.917,
9. Anthony West (AUS) Kawasaki 43'20.754,
10. Marco MelandrI (ITA) Honda 43'20.945.
Championship Positions After Nine Rounds:1. Stoner 185,
2. Rossi 164,
3. Pedrosa 119,
4. Hopkins 94,
5. Chris Vermeulen 88,
6. Melandri 87,
7. Edwards 75,
8. Barros 69,
9. Loris Capirossi 57,
10. Hayden 57.
Crashed Out – Bad Day For British RidersWith Bradley Smith in Barcelona having treatment on his injured foot and hand, it was a bad day for British riders back at Assen.
Sixteen year-old Danny Webb crashed out without injury in the 125cc race while Dan Linfoot suffered a similar fate in the 250cc race in which Eugene Laverty finished in 21st place, riding the LCR Honda.
Back in Barcelona a medical examination revealed that Smith has swelling on his left knee and below in addition to his two bone fractures. No surgery is need on any of his injuries and a decision will be made later if the 16 year-old can ride at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring in two weeks time.
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