MotoGP – Valencia Race – Stoner wins over Pedrosa and Rossi

Tomorrow he will think about the Ducati Desmosedici GP9 with the carbon frame. From Thursday to the operation on the injured scaphoid. Casey Stoner will then have a whole winter to get back on his feet and prepare for next year's world championship revenge. Today, however, the Australian outgoing World Champion is thinking about harpooning success, simply as a dominator, at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. For a moment he will think about it, he will understand the missed opportunities of this 2008 between crashes, injuries and a fluctuating performance, both for him and for Ducati itself. Looking at 2009, it's nice to start with an indisputable victory, achieved leading the usual trio of Daniel Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi, on the podium to confirm the theme of these two seasons.

Valencia thus celebrates Casey Stoner and his personal sixth victory of the season for an important victory for Ducati, now second in the constructors' world championship ahead of Honda, clinging to the fortunes of Pedrosa and, for the present and future, by Andrea Dovizioso, excellent fourth ahead of Nicky Hayden in his farewell race to HRC. The Forlì native was among the protagonists of this race together with Rossi, able to reach the podium in 5 laps after a satisfactory start (seventh at the first corner) and a race pace, only initially, on par with the fugitives Stoner and Pedrosa .

This brings yet another podium for Valentino and Yamaha, with a few points from Edwards (6th), Lorenzo (8th) and Toseland (11th). Of note is the awakening of Marco Melandri, until the final laps in the top ten ahead of Alex De Angelis, and the consistency of Loris Capirossi, ninth with the Suzuki equipped with a new chassis.

From tomorrow in Valencia we will talk about 2009 with the first tests, the new combinations, the single tire: Dovizioso in HRC, Hayden with Ducati, Melandri seeks redemption with Kawasaki, etc. etc. For MotoGP it's already 2009..

Alessio Piana