MotoGP hits the Netherlands for A-Style TT Assen A-Style TT Assen Wednesday 27th June Preview With little over two days to have begun preparations for the A-Style TT Assen, the MotoGP paddock was filled with riders and teams busy setting up what will be their bases for the next four days. Most had arrived straight from Donington Park, where round eight of the MotoGP World Championship took place under the same wet conditions predicted for the Netherlands MotoGP star Loris Capirossi was joined by reigning 250cc World Champion Jorge Lorenzo and local 125cc riders Joey Litjens and Hugo van den Berg in Amsterdam, 2 hours from the scene of the A-Style TT Assen, for some early fun ahead of the Dutch race. The quartet enjoyed a pleasant boat trip down the canals of the capital, under pleasant sunshine, before stopping for a visit to the Gassan diamond factory. Taking in the production process of some of Holland’s most precious stones under the guidance of a company delegate, all four were greatly impressed with their excursion before tomorrow’s first practice sessions at the historic Assen circuit. Capirossi in particular expressed his fascination with the jewellery presented at the occasion, stating that he would be returning to the factory at some point alongside his wife Ingrid. Sipping champagne at the end of the event, quarter litre championship leader Lorenzo received a special surprise when he discovered an authentic Gassan diamond placed in his glass. He will be hoping that such luck lasts the whole weekend, as he looks to extend his lead in the title chase. The pre-event press conference was another star-studded affair at Assen, with MotoGP World Championship leader Casey Stoner joined by last year’s race winner and reigning World Champion Nicky Hayden, Kawasaki new boy Anthony West, Fiat Yamaha’s ‘nearly man’ of the 2006 race at Assen Colin Edwards and 250cc title challenger Andrea Dovizioso. All five commented on some of the changes experienced by the track over the past two years, and assessed their performances at a difficult British race at Donington just four days ago. Hayden and Edwards also relived the jaw-dropping finale to last year’s visit to Assen, with the latter jokingly describing his last corner crash as a ‘present to Nicky for every birthday as long as he lives’. Edwards also announced that both he and team-mate Valentino Rossi will be running a special livery tomorrow, although he refused to be drawn on any details. Practice for the A-Style TT Assen begins tomorrow at 9am local time, with the 125cc riders in action first and the MotoGP class taking to the track at 10am. Casey Stoner “I’m still pinching myself to believe that all this is happening; We still have to have the same mentality as before. As far as Assen goes, there were some big changes last year, and I suppose that compared to the old circuit- it isn’t quite as enjoyable to ride without all the changes in camber.”