*SPOILERS* Jerez Rd3 Race Discussion

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (somedamnwriter @ May 3 2009, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>and to think it's his birthday tomorrow...
he wanted that podium & pushed a bit to hard. at least he gave it a shot.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ May 3 2009, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Great job by Rossi and his crew to win this race in morning warm up. I couldn't believe all this .... yesterday about Rossi running scared and lacking motivation Last year, there were tyres arriving with Rossi, Stoner and later Pedrosa, literally written all over them. This year we have the 'one size fits all rule' and the overtly preferential treatment they received over their Bridgestone counterparts has ceased. This has called for a response from team and rider alike. Rossi wasn't intimidated by the competition yesterday, rather angry and perhaps frustrated. However he knew what had to be done, and during this mornings pre race session, they extrapolated the data gleaned from qualifying, tweaked the set up by adjusting the weight, and the geometry of the M1, and found what they were looking for. In short, they fixed the problem - as that team has done many times in the past. This wasn't blindly shooting in the dark, rather the clinical analysis by the Doctor shone a light on the situation and messrs Burgess, Stephens Briggs et al. responded accordingly. Vale than went out and rode it with consummate ease- a great job by rider and team alike.

I don't think Dani was lacking in fight today as some have suggested. I think stamina is still an issue, as is tyre degradation on that Honda. Jerez doesn't involve the heavy braking of Qatar and Motegi that so exacerbated the tyre wear issues in the last two races, and Honda have certainly made significant steps towards rectifying what was a very acute problem - witness Dovi's charge, and Randy's superb placing. Although, as Teomolca I think highlighted, Toni was carrying 3kg ballast to try to sort out the rear end/weight distribution problems that are afflicting him due to his weight (or lack of it), and this is currently crucifying the way that bike responds to the 'stones...but then why isn't Dani similarly suffering?

If Vale wins the next race at Le Mans, he's on for the ton at Mugello You have to sometimes believe someone is scripting his story

Yes, I think stoner/ducati really need the hard tyre, whereas rossi can set-up and ride the yamaha in numerous different ways. It would seem likely that either conditions were quite different or the tyres were different, because stoner never looked like matching the pace he achieved in testing.

I agree about dani. It was only a few weeks ago that it was questionable whether he would be fit to race at all at qatar, and he has done little pre-season testing. I expect him to win races this year, although jerez would usually be one of his best chances to do so.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ May 3 2009, 04:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>he wanted that podium & pushed a bit to hard. at least he gave it a shot.
Like Spalding on Eurosport said, if your closing down on Casey Stoner, then your gonna be riding on the edge.

Best race so far for me, and a Brit winning the 125cc is great!! Rossi passed the "other" top riders in style to prove his point, Jorge ate the gravel and was a bit unlucky not to catch Stoner, and Pedrobot even gave us a smile at the end!! Only down side was Toseland's position, finishing behind Takahashi and Gibbers is pretty pathetic. And not forgeting Marco on the Kwak who was simply brilliant!!

Marco & DePuniet were faultless IMO, dunno want happened to Lozzy but again another masterclass from the Doc..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ May 3 2009, 09:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>......... I couldn't believe all this .... yesterday about Rossi running scared and lacking motivation

..................
Don't forget Arrab....

.......

The smell of fear...

1. Valentino Rossi - A True and Deserving Champion, great ride!
2. Dani Pedrosa - Wimp!
3. Casey Stoner - Great Job consider Ducati suck at Jerez
4. Randy de Puniet - Made even of a case for yourself to be on the Ducati!
5. Marco Melandri - Great ride, and as other have said Kwak just needed a Good Rider to be good team and bike..
6. Loris Capirossi - Just Proves winter testing means nothing come race day.
7. Colin Edwards - Time for WSBK.
8. Andrea Dovizioso - Rookie mistake
9. Toni Elias - Testing Duties continue.
10. Chris Vermeulen - Time to ask some serious questions
11. Sete Gibernau - The bike looks good....you well number 2 Ducati rider today
12. Yuki Takahashi - Good race craft....did the job you needed to do as TJ
13. James Toseland - Ducati WSBK 2010 here you come.
14. Alex de Angelis - Moto2 in 2010?
15. Nicky Hayden - So what was wrong this time?
16. Niccolo Canepa - Test rider type performance again....we expect alot at Mugello...

DNF:
Mika Kallio - Your still number 2 Ducati rider according to the points table.
Jorge Lorenzo - Stop playing the short game and focus on the whole season.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Marijke @ May 3 2009, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>boring race

almost fell asleep. woke up when lorenzo crashed.

good race for melandri and depuinet bring on lemans.+ 1. The only real excitement other than Lorenzo's crash (I felt for the guy)
was the (small but significant) drama over Stoner's ability to finally get on the podium
at Jerez. I was really thinking (not hoping) that Lorenzo was going to take
away Stoner's 3rd on the last lap.

So far - this year's WSBK races have been a zillion times more entertaining.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (#46 @ May 3 2009, 04:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Don't forget Arrab....

.......

The smell of fear...

Sadly again a rather boring race. The 125 and especially the 250 where briliant though. Smith and especially Folger where brutal, and the pace Aoyama was setting was pretty damn remarkable.

de Puniet and Melandri where excellent, apart from the top 5, Gibernau and Takahashi everybody else did pretty dissapointing. Capirossi and Edwards still decent enough though.

Actually had a litlle snicker though because i claimed last week Takahashi could very well beat Hayden in the next race and everyboy bashed me for that. Pretty sad for Hayden though, uptill now it looks like hes ending up with the Melandri syndrome this season.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bill88 @ May 3 2009, 09:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>JEREZ is ROSSI´s-LAND

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Road to parc feme
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podium shots
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..just couldn't resist...caption contest please??
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I wasn't able to watch the races today so will wait for tomorrow... Apparently my friday prediction was right in the end! Rossi was destined to win.

Too bad Kallio's bike didn't last the race :/... Championship could turn out to be a 4-way-fight right now, but Rossi needs to have atleast one or maybe two bad weekends for that to happen.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ May 3 2009, 09:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Honda have certainly made significant steps towards rectifying what was a very acute problem - witness Dovi's charge, and Randy's superb placing. Although, as Teomolca I think highlighted, Toni was carrying 3kg ballast to try to sort out the rear end/weight distribution problems that are afflicting him due to his weight (or lack of it), and this is currently crucifying the way that bike responds to the 'stones...but then why isn't Dani similarly suffering?
Apparently Randy (LCR) uses an Ohlins suspension that no other Honda (factory or satellite) uses... maybe his problem was less acute?

Re Dani vs Elias... similar weight - totally different style/technique.

Tom, I'm calling you instead of the psychic hotline if you knew Rossi was going to win from lap one!

Oh yeah - for you Collie haters:

He is the top non factory rider, PERIOD.

Brilliant race, I felt sorry for Lorenzo, I was waiting for him to pass Stoner!
Melandri.... what can I say, great ride.
Hayden .....What is wrong with that Ducati, I hope he has more luck sorting it out then Melandri did, and fast!

Still rooting for ya Nicky!

I got my hopes up and I paid for it. Another snooze fest.

1. Valentino Rossi - Deserved it.
2. Dani Pedrosa - good rides considering he was on Bstones and missed the test
3. Casey Stoner - finally on the podium
4. Randy de Puniet - better than Dovi
5. Marco Melandri - keeping Kawasaki alive by a thread
6. Loris Capirossi - disappointing but Suzuki suck so not too shabby
7. Colin Edwards - best satellite
8. Andrea Dovizioso - Even Nicky can run it wide then come home in 8th
9. Toni Elias - Good considering he's testing the spare parts bin
10. Chris Vermeulen - Go enjoy life in WSBK, Suzuki ain't worth it.
11. Sete Gibernau - 2nd Ducati
12. Yuki Takahashi - Aoyama showed he deserved your ride, you piece of marketing fluff
13. James Toseland - WSBK
14. Alex de Angelis - Why can't you get consistent results?
15. Nicky Hayden - Should have taken a demotion at Gresini Honda
16. Niccolo Canepa - WSBK or AMA, somebody needs to help Pegram

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mjpartyboy @ May 3 2009, 01:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What a race!

Did Rossi just drop an f-bomb?!

Nah just seen it he said it with an a rather than a u so maybe thats okay

My thoughts:

This championship will be about Rossi and Stoner in the end. Lorenzo is quick, but I think he lacks the consistency that Rossi has. Pedrosa is a talented rider, but when Rossi is closing in on him you just know that it's over. Therefore I don't think Pedrosa has what it takes over the course of a full season. Stoner has better consistency than Lorenzo and a lot more fight than Pedrosa.