Assen: Stoner leads pre-race warm-up

Assen poleman Casey Stoner led the morning warm-up session at the Dutch track in the MotoGP class, with two late fast laps showing his intentions of setting the pace in the afternoon race. The Australian’s best time was a 1´47.583, three-tenths of a second faster than second placed rider and 2006 race winner Nicky Hayden.

The Ducati and Repsol Honda riders were joined by front row starter Valentino Rossi in the upper echelons of the timesheet, the Fiat Yamaha man searching for improvements in the session to try and match Stoner’s race rhythm. Last year’s wet weather poleman Chris Vermeulen, 250cc Assen race winner Jorge Lorenzo and second place starter Dani Pedrosa completed the top six.

Notably looking stronger in the wet was Marco Melandri, the Ducati Marlboro rider seventh fastest in the warm-up session.

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