Rider impressions after Assen race Casey Stoner today made one step towards title defense, as he significantly reduced point deficit to Rossi and Pedrosa, showing form that will scare his rivals. Once again we had Casey Stoner in one class, while others were in second class, so let us read what riders say about race we saw in Assen today. Stoner wins, Pedrosa second, Rossi falls - championship open Race in Assen today once again proved that when Casey Stoner finds right set-up, which was obviously case this weekend, he is unstoppable. After taking first place from Pedrosa, Stoner checked-out and finished race in first place, more than 11 seconds in front of Pedrosa, bringing first victory to Ducati, Bridgestone and himself on Dutch circuit. Dani Pedrosa rode lonely race in second place, but this was enough for him as Rossi crashed in lap 1 bringing Randy de Puniet with him. Rossi managed to re-join the race and finish in 11th place, but new championship leader is now Pedrosa, who is 4 points ahead of Rossi. Final podium step has gone to Colin Edwards, who profited from bad luck of Nicky Hayden, who run out of fuel in last corner, and had to give his deserved 3rd place to fellow American. Casey Stoner takes Assen pole Casey Stoner today took his third pole position in a row, obviously preparing everyone for another runaway race. Dani Pedrosa managed to grab second place on the grid in last seconds of the session. Valentino Rossi completed front row of 2008 MotoGP title rivals. Qualifying in Assen today will be event to forget for John Hopkins, who suffered high-speed lowside and smashed into tyre wall, suffering tibia and ankle fractures that will put him out of action for one or two next races. Read rider impressions after Assen qualifying. Rider claims after day 1 in Assen Casey Stoner today shown performance that usually means that he will have one of those races where his opponents watch him disappear in the distance, without any chance to follow his pace. With one day still remaining for everyone to improve set-up, there are still some chances that Rossi, Pedrosa or someone else finds extra speed, but so far this was not the case. Read rider thoughts after day 1 in Assen. Stoner scares rivals on day 1 in Assen After a weekend of domination in Great Britain, Casey Stoner today continued where he left and upset his rivals by setting fantastic times in both free practices. Stoner improved his best time from first free practice session by about half second, but even his time from FP1 was unreachable to others. Valentino Rossi ended day as closest to Stoners time, still 0.732 seconds of his best time. Colin Edwards was another fast Yamaha rider today, 0.112 seconds behind Rossi, with Nicky Hayden being last rider within 1 from Stoners time. Ducati Alice riders hoping to turn their luck around in Assen After the last weekend of racing in Donington, MotoGP is back on track after only four days for the Dutch Grand Prix on the prestigious circuit in Assen. Maximum concentration for the Alice Team riders, Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli, who after respectively concluding in eleventh and thirteenth position in Great Britain, they want to grow to reach a better position in the MotoGP riders classification. It will be a particular weekend for Elias who even if he already had a four years experience in MotoGP, since 2005, he never made it to race here since he has joined the top class. For his teammate, Sylvain Guintoli, this will be the second time in Assen in the highest category after the fourteenth position obtained last year. Dani Pedrosa leads Honda attack at Assen Hondas main man in the high-pressure 2008 title race is the assiduous Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V). The Spanish superstar is under no illusions that this Saturdays race will be a strong indicator of who has the means and the will to take the biggest prize in bikesport. Marlboro Ducati riders going to one of favourite circuits Just hours after Casey Stoner victory in the British GP, the Ducati Marlboro Team were back on the road with the sat-nav systems set for Assen, where the 78th edition of the Dutch TT takes place this Saturday. The legendary road race was chosen to form part of the inaugural World Championship back in 1949 and it has remained an integral part of the calendar ever since. Capirossi returns to action in Assen Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will be pleased to welcome Loris Capirossi back from injury for this weekends Dutch TT at Assen in The Netherlands. Capirossi was an enforced spectator at the last round in Britain following an accident at Catalunya earlier this month, which sidelined the Italian star with a broken hand. The injury has still not completely healed, but Capirossi is determined to get back on his Suzuki GSV-R this weekend and continue with the bikes development and to demonstrate the will to succeed that he has shown so far this year. His replacement at the last round - Ben Spies - will also be supporting the team at Assen and later in the season will return to the GSV-R for wildcard rides at both American MotoGP rounds. Repsol Honda goes to Assen in positive mood The Repsol Honda Team goes into its fourth race in five weekends at Assen, round nine of the 18-event 2008 MotoGP series and thus the World Championships halfway point. The team travels to the Netherlands in very positive mood, Dani Pedrosa out to battle for victory once again, Nicky Hayden looking forward to his second race using the pneumatic-valve RCV engine. Fiat Yamaha moves to temple of motorcycle racing After a seventh podium in as many races for Valentino Rossi at Donington Park on Sunday, the Fiat Yamaha team take their title challenge straight to Assen this week for the second Grand Prix in just six days. For 78 years the Dutch TT has been held on the final Saturday in June and despite the quick turnaround this year the tradition will be upheld, as the MotoGP World Championship paddock packs up and races against the clock across the North Sea from England to Holland. Rider claims after Donington race Casey Stoner today posed a serious message to everyone who written him off in championship battle by demonstrating brutal force over his rivals, which had no chance to fight with him. Rossi and Pedrosa were occupied by their own battle for championship points, but for sure they are aware of the threat from Stoner. Read rider thoughts after the race. Casey Stoner returns to winning ways in Donington As we used to see last year, Casey Stoner transformed his dominant pre-race performance into fantastic victory, leading race from the start to finish, making his rivals wonder what they can expect in next races. Stoner finished race around six seconds in front of Valentino Rossi, who was unable to follow the rhythm of MotoGP champion, but also had lot of trouble to defend from attacks of Dani Pedrosa, who finished race in 3rd place. Casey Stoner takes wet Donington pole Casey Stoner continued Donington domination in qualifying session by taking pole position, setting times that other riders were not able to follow during the wet qualifying session. This was second consecutive pole for Casey Stoner, who looks like himself from last year. Valentino Rossi managed to grab second position on the grid, 0.649 seconds behind Stoner. Chris Vermeulen got his first front row position in not so short MotoGP career, taking advantage of his skills on wet track. Casey Stoner dominates day 1 at Donington Park Casey Stoner today had one of those dominant days which we remember from last year, as he set fastest times in both first and second free practice session in Donington Park today. Stoner was more than half second faster than Nicky Hayden, who took opportunity to be first Honda rider to ride pneumatic-valve version of the RC212V. Valentino Rossi improved from 8th in FP1 to 3rd place in FP2, as he found improvement in set-up on slippery Donington circuit. Rossi goes for top places at Donington, Lorenzo cautious After a rain-hit Mediterranean jaunt through Italy and Spain the Fiat Yamaha Team start a Northern-European triple-header this weekend, hoping that the British Grand Prix can be the unlikely purveyor of summer to the MotoGP World Championship paddock. Thankfully Lorenzo is fit to return for a crucial run of three races in four weekends in England, Holland and Germany, followed immediately by his first ever race in the USA. Valentino Rossi is the most successful Grand Prix rider ever at Donington, having won there on no fewer than seven occasions in all classes - including his first ever 500cc win back in 2000. This year the 29-year-old arrives on top form, on top of the World Championship and expecting the usual fanatical level of home support despite recently moving from London back to his native Italy. Repsol Honda team goes to Donington The Repsol Honda Team heads north for the British Grand Prix on June 22 after two southern European MotoGP events in Italy and Spain. Riders Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden are both looking forward to the British round after a profitable weekend at the Catalan Grand Prix. Lorenzo recovery continues successfully Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo returned to the Dexeus Institute in Barcelona this lunchtime for a check-up on the skin graft to the fourth finger of his right hand, which was carried out on Tuesday. Dr Xavier Mir confirmed that the graft had bonded well and that the injury was healing in a satisfactory manner, as the 21-year-old battles to be fit in time for the British Grand Prix at Donington Park next week. Lorenzo will undergo a further check-up on Monday before hopefully traveling to his home in London and beginning preparations for the eighth round of the MotoGP World Championship. Ben Spies replaces Capirossi in Donington Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will give reigning American Superbike Champion Ben Spies his MotoGP debut at next weekends British Grand Prix, following confirmation that Loris Capirossi will be unfit for the Donington race. The 23-year-old American from Longview in Texas was due to make his Rizla Suzuki MotoGP debut as a wildcard rider at next months USGP in California, but he has been drafted in early to replace Capirossi who suffered a broken right hand at Catalunya last weekend. Capirossi is now targeting a return at the following weekends race at Assen in The Netherlands and will continue to work on his fitness to try and achieve this goal. Two day Catalunya test wrapped up Two days after MotoGP race in Catalunya, most of the riders stayed for extra testing on Spanish circuit. Casey Stoner was fastest rider in both days, getting chance to feel the power of Ducati Desmosedici GP9. Repsol Honda riders get their chance to test pneumatic-valve RC212V, but Pedrosa suffered a highside tumble, landing heavily on his back. He was taken to Barcelonas Dexeus hospital where x-rays confirmed that he has no broken bones, but he has bruised his back and will need 48 hours of rest and anti-inflammatory medication. On the other hand, Nicky Hayden declared that pneumatic valve RC212V gave him better feeling.