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Pedrosa powers to US glory

Spaniard holds off Rossi to secure victory in California

Last updated: 5th July 2009

Pedrosa: First win of the season

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Dani Pedrosa claimed his first victory of the season with a nerveless ride at the US Grand Prix in California.

The Spaniard led from the first lap to the last and held off Valentino Rossi to clinch victory just 0.344 seconds ahead of the Italian.

Pole starter Jorge Lorenzo managed to shrug off the painful injuries sustained in a qualifying crash to cross in third while Casey Stoner, also injured the previous day, finished fourth.

However, there was disappointment for Britiain's James Toseland when he was disqualified for not obeying a penalty in the middle part of the race.

Honda's Pedrosa, starting fourth on the grid, was untroubled in the lead and could even ease off a touch as coasted home for his first win in a year.

The win takes him fourth in the rider standings on 92 points, while Rossi remains first on 151, nine ahead of Lorenzo.

Pedrosa said after the race: "The performance was very good. I was comfortable, I was doing great laps, and just in the last lap I relaxed a little bit too much.

"When I saw in the last lap the bike of Rossi I thought maybe I was too slow.

"But it's a good feeling to be back winning for me and my team."

Rossi, who looked set to try and take Pedrosa on the final lap, said: "I came down the hill in the last lap like a crazy man but it was too risky to try."

Lorenzo added: "Things were so difficult. I did the best I could. The pain was terrible in the collarbone.

"Valentino was fast and especially Dani but in the end I kept my pace and finished third."