Melandri determined to ride at Catalunya

Just seven days after dislocating his shoulder at Assen the San Carlo Honda Gresini rider will be back on track for the opening practice session of the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya.

Marco Melandri’s determination to put the last two races behind him will see the Italian attempt to ride through the pain barrier this weekend, as he goes to the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya still recovering from a dislocated shoulder suffered just seven days previously.

A highside crash in the second practice session last Friday at Assen ended in pain for Melandri as he dislocated his left shoulder, subsequently missing the race. Having crashed out in the previous round at Silverstone the 27 year-old refused to be laid low for the forthcoming seventh round at Catalunya, and has undergone an intense physiotherapy regime to ensure he can ride.

“I’m going to Barcelona with the clear objective of putting the disappointments of Silverstone and Assen behind me,” said a resolute Melandri. “I will obviously have to wait and see how I feel on the bike after such a big crash in Holland but my determination to race again is huge.”

“I have had a lot of treatment on the shoulder since Saturday and even though I still won’t be at peak physical fitness I am determined to get back out on track. I really want to build on the progress we made in practice at Assen, where we confirmed our recent progress with the set-up of the bike.”

Initially checked by Doctor Costa of the Clinica Mobile last Saturday morning, Doctor Giuseppe Porcellini completed another assessment yesterday (Monday) and reported that Melandri will require further checks on the ligaments around his collarbone and shoulder. Those specialist tests will take place after Barcelona this weekend, meaning Melandri has been cleared to race.

“I hope I am fit and able to continue the recent good work we’ve been doing so that we can have more to be pleased with by the end of the weekend,” added Melandri, who had enjoyed some notable progress in his results over the opening four rounds before Silverstone, including fifth place in his home race at Mugello. The Italian also secured his first premier class podium at Catalunya in 2004, which has added to his conviction to ride this weekend.

source:  http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/Melandri+ready+to+ride+at+Catalunya

Gilera Fuoco 500ie (2007-current)

There are motorcyclists out there who will cheerfully denounce the Fuoco as a car with a wheel missing. Ok so the Fuoco does have three wheels but in every other way it is a bike; it leans, stoppies has handlebars and so on. More to the point it is fun, practical and safe. No, seriously it is. MCN originally tested the Fuoco through winter without any mishaps – you can’t get any safer by having two front wheels. Commuting or city riding is it’s forte but can cover distance and more

A simple twist and go CVT auto-transmission with extra twist in the form of a punchy 492.7cc four-stroke single. Not a cheap Chinese effort but a modern 4-valve, liquid-cooled emissions compliant unit. To be honest the steel tubular frame and running gear is a lot to pull and acceleration isn’t the best when faced with a hill. But from the lights it’ll leave cars standing and go on to sit at 70mph all day every day.  

Take a test ride and be amazed at what you can do with the Fuoco – that is after you get your head around the way you lean as normal through the bends although there are two wheels ahead of you! Those wheels are both braked to make emergency stops panic-free affairs. You’d have to be a complete muppet to crash a Fuoco – there’s enough grip from the front to lean as far as the exhaust and stand will allow. Cantilevered front suspension (independent tilting wheels) works on four aluminium arms supporting two steering tubes and keeps the front glued to the road. The rear end is equally as well damped.

Styled to surprise, the twin-headlight front end looks every bit mad as a quad special. Underseat storage is huge, enough to get a six-place Chinese take-away in their let alone waterproofs and helmet. There are also fancy electronics which lock the bike upright when at standstill (if you want to) and releases when accelerating from standstill. Add to this quality tyres, brakes and suspension and you have a superb package.

source:  http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/bikereviews/searchresults/Bike-Reviews/Gilera/Gilera-Fuoco-500ie-2007-current/

New Ducati Mega-Monster spotted testing on the road

Ducati’s new Mega-Monster musclebike and rival to the Yamaha V-Max has been spotted testing on the roads around the Bologna factory.

The pictures were grabbed as two bikes were testing on the road and show a big muscle bike with twin rows of LED rear lights and twin side-mounted exhausts. The pictures first appeared on Italian website www.motoblog.it.

Little is known about the bike in terms of mechanical details but its clear this will be a high-powered V-twin using a Ducati trellis frame with a single sided swingarm to take on the Yamaha V-Max.

MCN was the first to scoop this bike last year in early stages of development but these shots show the bike is almost in finished form. We expect to see the bike later this year.

source:  http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/New-bikes/2010/june/jun2910-new-ducati-mega-monster-spotted/

De gridgirls van Assen

Bijna 100.000 TT-bezoekers

Het is bij de TT van Assen elk jaar de vraag of de 100.000 bezoekers gehaald wordt en in veel voorgaande jaren is dit net niet gelukt. De verwachting was dat dit jaar de 100.000 wel gehaald zou worden. Het bezoekersaantal kwam wel hier wel erg dichtbij, want er kwamen alleen al op de zaterdag 97.146 bezoekers naar de TT. Ook op de donderdag en op de vrijdag was het erg druk op het circuit. Want op die dagen kwamen ruim 42.000 mensen naar de trainingen en de kwalificatie kijken. Dat aantal is gelijk aan voorgaande jaren.

Foto: ANP

source:  http://motor.nl/

Jasper Iwema: podium was niet haalbaar

Jasper Iwema verbeet de teleurstelling na zijn race in de TT van Assen. De 20-jarige rijder startte zaterdag in de 125cc vanaf een hoopgevende zesde positie, maar hij gaf in de beginfase van de race die fraaie plek al uit handen en eindigde als dertiende.
Dubbel gevoel
“De race was niet geweldig en de start was slecht”, zei de coureur uit Hooghalen, een dorpje onder de rook van Assen. “Ik wist wel dat een podiumplek niet realistisch was, maar ik had toch op meer gerekend. Ik houd er een dubbel gevoel aan over, want ik rijd wel weer in de punten.”

Punten
Iwema verdiende drie punten voor het wereldkampioenschap en klom in de tussenstand zelfs een plekje naar de dertiende plaats, maar toch stond het huilen hem nader dan het lachen.

Starts
“In de training heb ik laten zien dat ik harder kan. Ik heb gewoon nog veel problemen met mijn motor bij de start. Ik heb het nog niet onder de knie om meteen vol gas weg te stuiven. Ik denk dat ik op een afgelegen landweggetje maar eens wat starts moet oefenen.”

Druk
Druk had Iwema niet gevoeld, ook al reed hij praktisch in zijn achtertuin. “Ik had ergens anders dezelfde race gereden.”

Val
Pijn voelde de lichtgewicht wel; een rode striem was zichtbaar in zijn hals. Iwema kreeg in de uitrijronde een Nederlandse vlag om zijn lijf gedrapeerd, die bij het binnenrijden van de pitstraat verstrikt raakte in het achterwiel van zijn motorfiets. Het doek trok daardoor zo strak om zijn nek dat Iwema pardoes achterover van de motor viel. “Ik kan er nu om lachen, maar ik schrok wel even”.

© ANP

bron: http://www.rtl.nl/%28/sport/rtl_gp/motogp/nieuws/%29/sport/rtl_gp/components/motogp/nieuws/2010/articles/100626_jasper_iwema.xml

A message from Valentino Rossi on his recovery

The Fiat Yamaha rider and current World Champion is recovering from his broken leg well, and says he aims to be back for the Brno round on August 15th if his rehabilitation continues without any problems.

Fiat Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi sent the following message today from his home in Italy. The reigning World Champion is currently convalescing after breaking his leg at the Italian MotoGP round three week’s ago.

“Three weeks have passed since the accident and two since I was discharged from hospital, and I am very happy about how my recuperation is progressing. I am feeling a lot better and I’m starting to live a semi-normal life again, although for a completely ‘normal’ life I will have to wait until I’m back on my bike! I am walking with crutches and for a few days I’ve been able to put my foot to the floor. Honestly, I didn’t expect to feel this good just a few weeks after the incident, and I mean both physically and in my ‘spirit.’

“The rehabilitation is continuing as usual, both sitting in the hyperbaric chamber and with some exercises in the gym. Unfortunately my shoulder is still giving me some pain but I am working on the muscles to reduce the pain a bit. If the rehabilitation proceeds without trouble and if everything continues in this way, then my objective is to return at the Czech Grand Prix in Brno.

“I have started to leave the house and my good friends haven’t left me on my own for even a minute, although I’m not used to spending so much time in Tavullia! I miss my bike, my team and the paddock a lot and this ‘new’ sensation is pushing me to get better as quickly as possible.

“I’ll speak to you, but more importantly see you, soon.

Ciao, Valentino Rossi.”

source:  http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/Rossi+sends+update+on+his+condition

Winning form continues at Assen for Lorenzo

The Fiat Yamaha rider now has a 47-point lead at the top of the World Championship after his fourth win of the season came at the TIM TT Assen. Dani Pedrosa was second, and Casey Stoner took his first podium of the campaign in third.

The 80th anniversary of the Dutch TT was marked with a Jorge Lorenzo victory on Saturday afternoon as the Fiat Yamaha rider won from pole position. The Spaniard’s fourth win of the 2010 campaign stretched his lead at the top of the World Championship to 47 points, as Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) and Casey Stoner (Ducati Team) followed him onto the podium at the TIM TT Assen.

Major benefits were gained from good starts by Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Pedrosa as both rose four places from their grid positions to slot into second and third place, as Lorenzo led the field into Turn 1 from pole position.

Lorenzo started to open up a very early lead and for the first couple of laps it looked like the Spaniard would race clear as he did at Silverstone, but Pedrosa and Stoner both passed Spies on lap three and tried to keep the leader in check.

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) had passed Spies as well to move into fourth, and by the midway point of the race he was a second ahead of the American, who in turn led sixth placed Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) by just over 1.5s.

By this stage Stoner was looking for a way through on Pedrosa but could not find one, and Lorenzo started to again edge away, extending his advantage little by little as the laps flew by. Further back Spies closed right up on Dovizioso and passed the Italian to move into fourth, and De Puniet was then on the trail as well as the trio remained closely grouped.

At the front Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Stoner became further separated from one another, whilst De Puniet and Dovizioso fought intensely to the last lap as the Frenchman experienced a few moments as his tyres started to feel the strain.

Lorenzo eventually crossed the line 2.935s ahead of Pedrosa, with Stoner taking his first podium of the season in third. Spies finished fourth in another impressive display from the rookie, with Dovizioso edging out De Puniet for fifth with another overtake on the chicane just before the finish line.

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team), Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) and Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing) all took top-ten finishes. Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) was absent from the race after he dislocated his left shoulder in the second free practice session on Friday.

The result extended Lorenzo’s lead at the top of the Championship further and he now stands on 140 points after six rounds, having finished in the top two in every race. Pedrosa moved into second on 93 with his podium finish, ahead of Dovizioso who is third on 89.

source:  http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/motogp+race+assen

Politie controleert TT-gangers

De politie houdt, net als donderdag, het motorverkeer in Drenthe vrijdag scherp in de gaten in verband met de TT van Assen. Elk jaar trekt het spektakel tienduizenden motorliefhebbers. Tientallen politieteams, vaak in onopvallende wagens, houden de motorfans op de wegen in de gaten.

In het verleden ontstonden vaak gevaarlijke situaties door stuntgedrag. De politie controleert vooral op snelheidsovertredingen en gevaarlijk rijgedrag. Ook zijn er alcoholcontroles.

Waarschijnlijk ontstaan vrijdag op de A28 richting Assen files omdat al veel motorrijders dan op pad zijn. De TT is zaterdag.

bron:  http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/7039309/__Politie_controleert_TT-gangers__.html?sn=binnenland,buitenland

Jorge Lorenzo snelste in eerste training in Assen

Jorge Lorenzo heeft donderdag de eerste dag op het TT-circuit van Assen afgesloten als snelste. De Spaanse Yamaha-rijder noteerde tijdens de eerste vrije training een tijd van 1.35’169′”. Hiermee was hij nipt sneller dan Casey Stoner (Ducati/+ 0’011′”).
Top 7
Nicky Hayden, eveneens op de Ducati, eindigde als derde voor Colin Edwards op de Tech3 Yamaha gevolgd door beide fabrieks-Honda’s van wie Andrea Dovizioso de snelste was. Dani Pedrosa werd zesde voor de verrassend voor de dag komende Aleix Espargaro op de Pramac Ducati.

vervanger
Kousuku Akiyoshi eindigde zoals verwacht als 16de en laatste op zes seconden van Lorenzo. De Japanner vervangt dit weekend bij Interwetten Honda de geblesseerde Hiroshi Aoyama. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) wordt in Assen nog niet vervangen.

Moto2
In de Moto2-klasse noteerde Andrea Iannone met 1.39’573′” de snelste tijd. Toni Elias eindigde op 0’222′” als tweede voor Ratthapark Wilairot, die tot een tijd van 1.40’172′” kwam.

125cc
Nicolas Terol was de snelste in de 125cc. De Spanjaard klokte 1.43’208′” en was hiermee sneller dan zijn landgenoten Marc Marquez (+ 0’195′”) en Pol Espargaro (+ 0’476′”).

Nederlanders
Beste Nederlander was Jasper Iwema op een 13de plaats: 1.45’500′”. Michael van de Mark werd 27ste voor Jerry van de Bunt, Ernst Dubbink en Roy Pouw. Pepijn Bijsterbosch werd niet geklasseerd. Met 1.50’597′” bleef hij niet binnen de 107-procent regel. Hij kwam 0’165′” te kort.

bron:  http://www.rtl.nl/%28/sport/rtl_gp/motogp/home/%29/sport/rtl_gp/components/motogp/nieuws/2010/articles/100624_vt1_assen.xml

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