Sete Gibernau maintained his status as the only rider to make the podium in each and every one of the opening six rounds of the MotoGP World Championship after finishing second at Assen today. The Telefónica MoviStar Honda MotoGP rider once again gave 120% in a race which was decided on the final lap, just metres from the chequered flag. Victory went to his great rival Valentino Rossi but Sete once again demonstrated that he is the only man out there who can challenge the Italian. Gibernau dominated the race until the last lap, when Valentino squeezed past and the riders touched. Sete returned to parc fermé with a broken front mudguard, exhausted after a race contested to the absolute limit. Colin Edwards put in a good performance, finishing sixth after starting from the fifth row of the grid.
SETE GIBERNAU
(2nd): “We’ve made another good race and aside from the fact that I am obviously annoyed because I wanted to win, I understand that we were at our limit again today. I had a good chance right until the end but we touched on the last lap - Valentino explained that he almost fell and, if that’s the case, then there’s nothing for me to say. These things happen in racing. We had a good battle in another great race”.
COLIN EDWARDS
(6th): “It was always going to be difficult from the fifth row but I got a good start and rode aggresively over the first three laps to pass a lot of riders. Once I got up behind Nicky Hayden I just stuck there, it was impossible for me to pass him because he was quicker in the corner exits. I rode to the limit of the bike and it wasn’t a bad race, but I need to do better in qualifying to give myself more of a chance on a Sunday.”
FAUSTO GRESINI
(Team Manager): “It was a tough but very exciting race and I think Valentino was studying Sete for 18 laps. When he got past him the two touched and Sete was unable to recover the vital tenths that he lost because there was only half a lap left. We lost a good opportunity to win but Sete was superb once again.”
DUTCH TT
- Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 38’11”831
- Sete Gibernau (Spa/Honda) + 0”456
- Marco Melandri (Ita/Yahama) + 9”909
...
6. Colin Edwards (USA/Honda) + 10”801
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
- Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 126 p.
- Sete Gibernau (Spa/Honda) 126 p.
- Max Biaggi (Ita/Honda) 93 p.
....
6. Colin Edwards (USA/Honda) 54 p.