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2018 Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana Predictions and Race Chat

Even with all the rain, it was great to be at a GP in Europe and this edition of Valencia still had a festive vibe. Not that many people left after the rain came. I’ll do it again!
 
Rins did great all things considered. He was smart to not get sucked in by Rossi.
 
......... I'm far from his biggest fan, but the old man can race.

Not really, MM and Vinales crashed out a long time before he did, and he looked a fair chance of winning as the race was red flagged after the first start.

Still, 2 crashes in a row when in some kind of contention, although this time he didn't look any chance of beating Dovi at the time he crashed. I don't know whether hie was still going for the win, but could understand him going for it any time he sees a chance of a win at this stage in proceedings.



Cashed under pressure & crash under no pressure! Point of my comment.
 
How no pressure? #46 already had 3rd secured, he had nothing to lose, he went for win or bin. Well, bin it was. I'd say there was pressure, pressure to win, there has been long drought.
 
Cashed under pressure & crash under no pressure! Point of my comment.

Sure, I knew that and was addressing that point.

I think win it or bin it was a legitmate strategy for him if that is what he was doing (of which I am unsure) as Segfault has said and I more or less said.

He surely has enough podiums for several riders’ lifetimes, so going for race wins if he can’t win titles any more is pretty much the only reason for him to still be out there as far as I can see, not that I can see much point in him being out there at the age of rising 40 in the first place as I believe I have frequently said.
 
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It was an awesome performance to come from 16th to 1st (briefly). Rins was best on fresh/cold rain tyres, Rossi was best when the rainfall was the hardest, and Dovi was really good in either condition and the best when the rainfall became lighter.

Great race, though it's concerning to see MM have these shoulder issues. He crashes so much that these things are bound to happen. Maybe Alpinestars can make even greater airbag protection for his vulnerable shoulder?
 
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It was an awesome performance to come from 16th to 1st (briefly). Rins was best on fresh/cold rain tyres, Rossi was best when the rainfall was the hardest, and Dovi was really good in either condition and the best when the rainfall became lighter.

Great race, though it's concerning to see MM have these shoulder issues. He crashes so much that these things are bound to happen. Maybe Alpinestars can make even greater airbag protection for his vulnerable shoulder?

He needs an operation. It takes considerable force to dislocate a shoulder the first time, but once you have done so they can re-dislocate with minor trauma; i believe he did it after a recent race celebrating either a race win or winning the title with another rider (? Redding).
 
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So it seems that Dovi had two new tyres to mount after the restart. Rins only had one new tyre (front), whereas Rossi had no new tyres to mount. Dovi was too clever again!
 
So happy KTM, it was great to see their reaction.

As for the race, it wasn’t great and it wasn’t fun to watch so many guys losing it for what appeared to be very minor or no mistakes.

How important the right there choice was yesterday was very apparent IMO when Pol nearly rode around the outside of Márquez.
 
So happy KTM, it was great to see their reaction.

As for the race, it wasn’t great and it wasn’t fun to watch so many guys losing it for what appeared to be very minor or no mistakes.

How important the right there choice was yesterday was very apparent IMO when Pol nearly rode around the outside of Márquez.

I said before KTM were the big winners this weekend.

I still recall Pol was the rider to take the fight to Marquez in Moto2, is Zarco much better? We'll soon find out.
 
So happy KTM, it was great to see their reaction.

As for the race, it wasn’t great and it wasn’t fun to watch so many guys losing it for what appeared to be very minor or no mistakes.

How important the right there choice was yesterday was very apparent IMO when Pol nearly rode around the outside of Márquez.

I agree, I didn’t enjoy watching the best riders in the world crash in treacherous conditions either, was glad they red-flagged it and didn’t really want to see a re-start.
 
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It was an awesome performance to come from 16th to 1st (briefly). Rins was best on fresh/cold rain tyres, Rossi was best when the rainfall was the hardest, and Dovi was really good in either condition and the best when the rainfall became lighter.

Great race, though it's concerning to see MM have these shoulder issues. He crashes so much that these things are bound to happen. Maybe Alpinestars can make even greater airbag protection for his vulnerable shoulder?

Just the shock of downward kinetic force of his torso smashing onto the pavement is enough to dislodge an already (repeatedly) weakened shoulder joint, without actually striking the shoulder itself. I speak from experience.
 
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Damn. This is the only weakness of Marquez that I can see - his high crash rate (and therefore possibility of getting injured).
 
Damn. This is the only weakness of Marquez that I can see - his high crash rate (and therefore possibility of getting injured).

While he always appears to be unruffled, I think his method like Stoner’’s requires considerable focus. This is a couple of seasons now that he has crashed out of a number of the remaining races once the title is clinched and the pressure is off.

As I said and Keshav says from his own experience once the shoulder has been dislocated once recurrent dislocation can occur with fairly minimal trauma. I think he has even talked of needing to have surgery. I am not really up with what they do now; the traditional operation tended to leave the patient with a reduced range of motion but that would not be very problematic I would imagine as a bike rider rather than a fast bowler or Rugby player.
 
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