MotoGP ; Márquez triomphe au terme d’une course à couper le souffle ! / Showtime: Marquez wins stunning eight-rider battle at Assen

La lutte aura fait rage aux avant-postes mais Marc Márquez aura réussi à tirer son épingle du jeu dans les trois derniers tours pour gagner.

Les pilotes nous avaient promis une course de groupe, le public aura été servi ! Difficile d’ailleurs de recenser le nombre de dépassements aux avant-postes tant la bataille aura fait rage pour la victoire… et tout commença dès le premier tour, avec cette superbe envolée de Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) !

L’Espagnol, qui occupait la 10e place sur la grille, venait en effet se positionner dans la roue de son compatriote et poleman Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team), tandis que Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) se voyait repoussé au troisième rang. Et le Britannique allait perdre deux positions supplémentaires, ne pouvant résister à Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) et Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team).

Au quatrième tour, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) portait une nouvelle attaque sur Marc Márquez qui allait cette fois s’avérer payante. Valentino Rossi l’imitait quelques instants plus tard jusqu’à ce choc entre le Majorquin et l’Italien. Tous deux restèrent toutefois sur leurs roues.

Valentino Rossi allait ensuite rétrograder légèrement au classement et trois autres concurrents venaient se mêler à la lutte dans ce groupe : Álex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) et Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech3). Neuf pilotes étaient alors en lice pour la victoire… et puis Marc Márquez se fit une belle frayeur dans le 12e tour ! Alors qu’il était en bagarre avec Álex Rins, le Champion du Monde manqua en effet de tomber, mais une fois encore ce dernier parvint à se rattraper.

Passé le cap de la mi-course, on assistait à un nouveau changement de leader avec cette manœuvre d’Andrea Dovizioso sur Jorge Lorenzo. Un duel s’engageait alors entre les deux représentants Ducati, le tout sous les yeux d’un Maverick Viñales aux aguets.

Tout compte fait Jorge Lorenzo commit une petite erreur qui l’écartait définitivement de ce combat et Maverick Viñales allait en profiter dans la foulée pour se glisser en tête. Quatre pilotes différents s’étaient alors succéder aux commandes. Le Catalan n’allait toutefois pas mener très longtemps, puisque Marc Márquez lui répondait aussitôt. Mais pour le pilote Yamaha, pas question de se laisser faire. Maverick Viñales retenta sa chance et son insistance se soldera par un contact entre les deux hommes, qui se retrouvaient hors piste. Du pain béni pour Andrea Dovizioso. Lequel récupérait les commandes… ou du moins provisoirement car voilà que Valentino Rossi s’invitait en tête.

Fini de jouer ! Alors que trois tours restaient à couvrir, Marc Márquez se défaisait de ses adversaires pour prendre le large… Plus personne ne le reverra. Álex Rins et Maverick Viñales devaient dès lors en découdre pour la deuxième place ; Andrea Dovizioso et Valentino Rossi restant en embuscade.

Dans la dernière chicane, Álex Rins trouvait finalement l’ouverture sur Maverick Viñales, qui inscrivaient tous deux leur second podium de l’année. Valentino Rossi, vainqueur de l’édition 2017, tenta d’en faire autant sur Andrea Dovizioso… En vain, le pilote Ducati conservait sa quatrième place.

Devant Marc Márquez s’imposait avec une avance de 2.2 secondes. L’Espagnol empochait la 64e victoire de sa carrière, sa quatrième de l’année. Le Champion du Monde compte ainsi une avance de 41 points sur Valentino Rossi et de 47 sur Maverick Viñales en amont du Sachsenring ; circuit qui a pour habitude de lui sourire.

Cal Crutchlow se classait sixième de la course, devant Johann Zarco. Álvaro Bautista (Ángel Nieto Team) et Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) complètent le Top 10.

Le Belge Xavier Siméon (Reale Avontia Racing) aura été contraint à l’abandon.

La prochaine épreuve se tiendra dans deux semaines au Sachsenring.

Cliquez ici pour accéder aux résultats.

The 'Cathedral' showcases the best of MotoGP™ as 8 riders make 100+ overtakes in one of the closest and most incredible races of all time

Few races are written immediately into the history books as the flag flies at the finish line, but the 2018 Dutch GP will be one of them. It was Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) who emerged from the melee to take the win on the Championship’s 70th visit to the track, but the headlines were stolen somewhat as the TT Circuit Assen hosted a showcase of the best of MotoGP™ starring Marquez, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), teammate Maverick Viñales, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), teammate Jorge Lorenzo, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol). And those on the podium at the end – Marquez, Rins and Viñales – fought to the top in the closest top fifteen of all time.

Marquez took the holeshot from pole, with Crutchlow initially on his tail from second on the grid until Lorenzo sliced through from tenth to P2 after another awe-inspiring launch. The Italian and Catalan GP winner didn’t wait long to strike for the lead either, attacking Marquez and the two side-by-side in a war of wills until Lorenzo edged ahead. Marquez hit back a lap later at Turn 15, before Lorenzo repaid the favour once more. The duel was the first of many; an early taste of what was to come.

Rossi then made his first attack of the race at the final chicane, a first rehearsal, and set off after Lorenzo – with the Spaniard then suffering a moment soon after and Rossi smashing into the rear of the Ducati, unable to avoid him. But both stayed on and both stayed ahead, with Marquez, Dovizioso, Rins, Crutchlow and Viñales forming a train of riders fighting at the front.

Marquez took Rossi, Viñales took Crutchlow, Dovizioso took Rossi, Dovizioso took Marquez, Marquez struck back, Rins took Rossi and then Dovizioso…but Lorenzo held firm at the front. With eight riders within a second, from Lorenzo down to Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) at the back of the train, the touch paper was well and truly lit on an absolute classic.

The war continued before another bout of bigger drama with 15 laps to go as Rins attacked Marquez and the two were only a hair’s breadth apart – no contact, but the reigning Champion suffered a big moment as he got back on the gas. That dropped him back off the lead, with Lorenzo chased by Rins and Dovizioso.

The Italian dueled his teammate for the lead soon after and Lorenzo began to drop back slightly, with Viñales then taking the lead for the first time with eight to go. Next time around Marquez had sliced back through into the lead, before the next lap saw both almost throw it all away as they dueled and both headed wide. Rossi took over – another stunner from the ‘Doctor’ at the final chicane – but ‘DesmoDovi’ took him back.

Four wide at times, Marquez made his way back into P1…and that was all she wrote, for the lead at least. After one of the closest, most spectacular races in the history of the world’s oldest motorsport Championship, the reigning Champion was able to pull clear to take a stunning fourth win of the year – and increase his points lead.

The battle behind wasn’t over, however, and Viñales had pushed through to second before a last lap attack from Rins – with the Suzuki rider taking his second ever premier class rostrum. Viñales was forced to settle for third but back on the podium for the first time since Texas…and the fight for fourth showed why Rossi had been rehearsing.

The ‘Doctor’ left it late but lunged up the inside of Dovizioso into the famous Geert Timmer chicane on the final lap, and he was ahead – but ‘DesmoDovi’ took him back on the exit, getting such a good exit that the number 04 was almost on a par with Viñales over the line.

Marquez, Rins, Viñales, Dovizioso and Rossi were followed home by Crutchlow and Lorenzo, with Zarco, Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) and Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) completing the top ten in one of the greatest races contested on two wheels.

So that’s it from the TT Circuit Assen for another year. Can anything top the Dutch GP? After one of the best races of all time, the first to try will be the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring on the 15th July…and then, there are 10 more chances to showcase more of the stunning class of 2018.

via http://www.motogp.com

Sultans of Sprint 2018 / Race 1 The Reunion Monza.

First Sultans of Sprint 2018 round hosted & supported by The Reunion taking place in Monza Italy.

video by Agence Push / images by Benjamin Guimond & Antoine Elizabé. soundtrack by The Madcaps

The Grizzly Ride out Invitational 2018

Every year, we cross the mountains and ride with a group of friends to celebrate the end of winter. This is what we call the Grizzly Ride. a film by Sebastien Zanella.

The Grizzly Ride out Invitational 2018 from Wheels and Waves on Vimeo.

WSBK ; Masterful Rea does Laguna Seca Double

Trademark consistency pays off for defending champion in new battle with Davies

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) proved that his Friday form was no fluke by taking his seventh win of the campaign in Race 1 at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship witnessed a new battle between the defending champion and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), another chapter in the vast collection of showdowns between the pair. This time, it was the Northern Irishman’s time to shine in the blazing Californian heat – his third triumph at Laguna Seca.

With both men starting on opposite sides of the front row, Race 1 quickly became a two-man affair, after Rea passed Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) before Turn 1. A first attack inside that first lap from the defending champion at turn 11 was quickly shrugged off by Davies on the exit, but the warning shot had been fired. Behind, Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) began to pile the pressure on Sykes in third, with Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) crashing out after an excellent start from the lights.

Seven laps passed with no further attacks on the Welshman – and as things turned out, no more were needed. Davies braked a fraction too late on the climb to the Corkscrew, a mistake that Rea was all too eager to take, shooting past the polesitter on the way down the chute.

It’s tough to match the three-time champion at the best of times – with a free track ahead, the task is nigh-on impossible. Rea drowned out any possibility of a comeback, keeping a consistent 1-2 second gap all the way through the latter two thirds of the race. With Davies ending the race in second, the two are now separated by 70 points in the standings, with eleven races remaining on the calendar.

Behind the pair, Alex Lowes found his way quickly past Sykes into third, with the KRT rider falling slowly down the standings. The Lincolnshire rider has shown tremendous pace throughout the last three rounds, and following his maiden WorldSBK win with another podium – his first at Laguna Seca –  spells excellent news for the Yamaha man going into tomorrow.

Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) repeated his best performance this season with an excellent fourth, making it four different machines in the top 4 positions, and highlighting how far the RSV4-RF has progressed in recent races. The Irishman will also have the bonus at starting from pole tomorrow, at a track where a front row can be a near-guarantee of success.

Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) bounced back from a disappointing qualifying session with fifth in Race 1, an admirable climb from the fourth row. He passed fellow Panigale R rider Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team) in the final laps. The Spaniard, top independent rider in California, will nonetheless be pleased with his progressive return to form.

Much less comfortable during the race than through the earlier Superpole session, Tom Sykes ended his race successfully defending seventh place from Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), who had to be content with eighth, in front of Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in ninth.

Scoring his best result in WorldSBK, Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) finished his home race in tenth place to the delight of all the American fans at Laguna Seca.

Fourth win in California for the championship leader, who increases his lead to 75 points with five rounds to go

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) has taken his second win of the weekend at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, becoming the most successful rider in MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship history at the US racetrack in the process. The Northern Irishman was again unstoppable in the GEICO US Round, flying to the lead inside eight laps despite having to start from the back of row three. Second went again to Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) completing the podium in third.

Rea wasted no time at the lights. By the end of lap one he had managed to climb from ninth on the grid to fifth; three spins around Laguna Seca later, he was already up to second and chasing race leader Laverty, at a pace of over one overtake per lap. Meanwhile, behind, Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) crashed out, the third time in the last seven races that the Italian has failed to score any points.

It didn’t take much longer for the Race 1 leader to pass Laverty either, picking off the Aprilia rider with ease through Lap 8. A similar story to yesterday: two thirds of the race left, an open track ahead, and an unbeatable race pace. When Rea finds his groove and is this confident, the three-time champion is second to no one. Even Davies, who performed another brilliant climb up the ranks and passed Laverty into second with eight laps to go, couldn’t close the gap and had to settle for second.

Just as on Saturday, however, there was plenty of action for the remaining rostrum place. Laverty, now in third, was quickly hunted down by the two Pata Yamaha riders. But the pair squabbled amongst themselves just enough laps for the Irishman to keep both a second away and clinch his first podium of the 2018 campaign, also a first since Sepang 2014. It’s been a long and tough journey for Laverty since he returned to the WorldSBK paddock last season, but the hard work is slowly but surely paying off.

The battle between Round 6 and 7’s race winners, van der Mark and Lowes, saw the Brit finally emerge victorious with two laps to go thanks to a brave pass in the run-up to the Corkscrew. A bit of magic from the Lincolnshire rider to close the gap with his teammate in the standings to just 32 points. Van der Mark meanwhile couldn’t make the best of a fantastic start, which saw the Dutchman rise to second at Turn 1, and crossed the line in fifth.

Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team) repeated his Race 1 performance with sixth at the flag, a sign that the Spaniard is building back his form after two forgettable rounds. Behind him was fellow Spaniard Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in seventh, ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in eighth. Sykes is a three-time winner at Laguna Seca, but on Sunday he found himself collapsing down the ranks from the start and it never quite worked out throughout the 25 laps for the Kawasaki rider, closing a disappointing weekend.

Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) went one better than on Saturday, crossing the line in ninth and taking his personal best result in WorldSBK. A fantastic weekend at home for the Californian, who crossed the line ahead of Loris Baz (GULF Althea BMW Racing Team) in tenth and Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura). A special mention for Karel Hanika (Guandalini Racing), who crossed the line in a promising 14th, scoring points in both races at Laguna Seca on his WorldSBK debut.

WorldSBK is back in two weeks for the last stop before the summer break! Make your way with us to Misano Circuit from July 6-8