MELANDRI MAKES HEROIC CHARGE TO LAGUNA PODIUM
 Marco
Melandri produced one of the performances of the season today
as he charged to the podium at Laguna Seca despite suffering
from the effects of a badly swollen ankle. The Gresini Honda
rider sat out this morning's warm-up because of the pain of
the injury he sustained during qualifying yesterday, when
he collided with Kurtis Roberts and fell heavily from his
RC212V.
However, after bouncing back in that session to qualify in
tenth place, he once again showed his fighting spirit today
- undergoing painkilling injections before straddling his
Honda for 32 gruelling laps. Melandri made an incredible start
to the race, making up four positions on the first lap and
settling into the chasing pack as Casey Stoner set the pace
at the front.
As the race wore on, Melandri got the better of Colin Edwards
before passing Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa and securing
a comfortable podium finish in third place. The result moves
him up to fifth in the championship going into the summer
break, with the next round taking place at Brno on August
19th, when the team hope to have Toni Elias back as Melandri's
team-mate.
The place of the injured Spaniard was taken this weekend
by Canadian veteran Miguel Duhamel, who retired from the race
after ten laps.
MARCO MELANDRI (3rd in the race, 5th in the championship
on 113 points): "It was an amazing race for
me - it's unbelievable to be on the podium. I couldn't actually
ride this morning without an injection for the pain and I
just have to say a very big thanks to all the Clinica Mobile
- Doctor Costa, the therapist Francesco Chionne and Doctor
Monica. They gave me very good treatment before the race so
there was no pain when I was riding. At the beginning I just
tried to keep my rhythm and it was pretty good for me. I wasn't
so comfortable on the bike at the beginning but in the end
my rhythm was okay. Just the last five or six laps I started
to feel a bit of pain in my ankle so I couldn't downshift
so good but it's been a great race and a very good emotion
for me to be on the podium. I just want to thank all my team,
all my guys and all my sponsors - they are working so good."
MIGUEL DUHAMEL (DNF) : "I gave it everything
I could at the start of the race but I couldn't get on the
pace. I just wasn't comfortable on the bike and I was worried
I was either going to crash it or get in the way of another
rider. Neither of those options was particularly appealing
so I decided the best thing was to pull out of the race. This
has been a wonderful experience for me and I would like to
extend my sincere thanks to Fausto, the entire team - who
have been so professional - and to Honda USA for letting me
ride."
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