May 17, 2009

Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo won the French MotoGP at Le Mans just a year after he finished second despite riding with two broken ankles.

The 22-year-old - a two-time 250cc world champion - enjoyed a trouble-free ride on his Yamaha to coast home ahead of Italian Marco Melandri on a Kawasaki while pole sitter Dani Pedrosa of Spain was third on a Honda.

Casey Stoner finished fifth after suffering a slight problem on his Ducati mid-race.

Fellow Australian Chris Vermuelen was sixth for Suzuki.

Lorenzo's joy was the reverse of Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi who had a nightmare as he sought his 99th career victory but in the end trailed in without scoring a point.

Lorenzo took the lead off his compatriot Pedrosa after the first lap, passing both him and Australia's former world champion Casey Stoner in an audacious manoeuvre.

Stoner was suffering the most of the contenders as he then was passed by Rossi with 26 of the 28 laps remaining and the Italian great then overtook Pedrosa.

Lorenzo - who has a difficult relationship with Rossi - held a lead of just over two seconds on the Italian.

However, disaster struck for Rossi with 23 laps remaining. Having just come into the pits to change bikes and go on to dry tyres he came to grief on a corner, and with his bike damaged, he guided it back to the pits to get on a new one.

His day went from bad to worse as he was then penalised for speeding in the pit lane.

French MotoGP finish
1. Jorge Lorenzo, (ESP), Yamaha, 47 minutes, 52.678 seconds.

2. Marco Melandri, (ITA), Kawasaki, 48:10.388.

3. Dani Pedrosa, (ESP), Honda, 48:12.571.

4. Andrea Dovizioso, (ITA), Honda, 48:13.133.

5. Casey Stoner, (AUS), Ducati, 48:23.217.

6. Chris Vermeulen, (AUS), Suzuki, 48:30.140.

7. Colin Edwards, (USA), Yamaha, 48:32.869.

8. Loris Capirossi, (ITA), Suzuki, 48:38.099.

9. James Toseland, (GBR), Yamaha, 48:42.985.

10. Toni Elias, (ESP), Honda, 48:45.896. Overall

Standings (After 4 of 17 races)

1. Jorge Lorenzo, (ESP), Yamaha, 66 points.

2. Valentino Rossi, (ITA), Yamaha 65.

2. Casey Stoner, (AUS), Ducati, 65.

4. Dani Pedrosa, (ESP), Honda, 57.

5. Marco Melandri, (ITA), Kawasaki, 43.

5. Andrea Dovizioso, (ITA), Honda, 43.

7. Colin Edwards, (USA), Yamaha, 35.

8. Chris Vermeulen, (AUS), Suzuki, 31.

9. Loris Capirossi, (ITA), Suzuki, 27.

10. Randy De Puniet, (FRA), Honda, 26.