PAIN IN SPAIN FOR PEDROSA

PAIN IN SPAIN FOR PEDROSA
By Leandra Graves

Dani Pedrosa led the race from the start in Jerez, only to be beaten on the last lap in a fierce dice with his fellow countryman, Jorge Lorenzo.

The 24 year old started the race in pole position and took a commanding lead over the Current World Champion, Valentino Rossi. He maintained a comfortable gap over the Yamaha and it appeared Pedrosa would be on his way to a magnificent win in his homeland.

However, the number 99 of Jorge Lorenzo had other plans to ruin Pedrosa’s day in the sun. Lorenzo had been the initial pace setter early on in the weekend, but after qualifying, it appeared Pedrosa had found that something extra that could take him to a vital 25 points.

The number 26 rider wasn’t exactly the happiest man after qualifying, admitting that “pole position doesn’t really mean anything to me.” Clearly the Spaniard was expecting a tougher race and wasn’t expecting his Honda to be able to control the race for a lengthy period.

He was however to be proved wrong and was looking like he had put all his troubles and disappointment behind him after a difficult start in Qatar. Lorenzo had made a poor start and was in a lowly fifth at the start of the race. Once he had passed the two Ducati’s and his Yamaha team-mate, he only had six laps to charge after the race leader. It looked as if the young Majorcan had left it too late to be considered a serious threat for the win and claw back two seconds but suddenly he was right on Pedrosa’s tail. He had slaughtered Pedrosa’s advantage.

What came next was a brutal battle. Pedrosa defended well and sent Lorenzo around the outside of him on several occasions, showing that he had no intention of making this easy for his compatriot. It was a tough battle, hard but fair, with neither rider wanting to give the other an inch. It was a classic final few laps, with it appearing that Pedrosa still had the better of Lorenzo, but "X-Fuera" produced some magic and snuck up the inside of the Honda, sending him out wide and stormed on to take the chequered flag.

It was heartbreak for Pedrosa in front of an adoring 120,000 patriotic fans, that were deliriously happy to see a Spanish one-two, but to lead the race from the start, only to have it snatched at the bitter end, from one of his arch rivals, must have been a cruel end to a dominant race.

Pedrosa managed to put a smile on his frustrations at the end of the race and even congratulated the race winner with a hug, having no bad words to say about an epic fight with Lorenzo.

“I’m exhausted, with ten laps to go, the gap over Rossi was pretty good. I said fuck when I could see Lorenzo was coming. We had a bit of a fight, I went wide and lost momentum and then I couldn’t catch him. I’m very happy though for me and my team with my result, especially after Qatar.”

Pedrosa’s second place put him third overall in the standings and must make him thirsty for his first victory this season, especially put one over his old adversary Lorenzo after today’s surprise ending.