Valentino Rossi has become only the second rider in motorcycle grand prix history to reach 100 wins with a measured victory at Assen on Saturday.

The reigning six-time MotoGP world champion, who began round seven equal on points (and wins) with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati's Casey Stoner, slipped from pole to second behind Dani Pedrosa at turn one.

The Italian then fell victim to a surprise move by Stoner at the end of the back straight, which saw the Australian jump from third to first, as Rossi also worked his way around Pedrosa's Honda.

Rossi took the lead with a neat inside line under Stoner through the opening turns on lap two and began pushing to break his rivals.

Lorenzo, meanwhile, was fighting his way back from a bad start that saw him slip from third to sixth at turn one, before picking off Colin Edwards, Chris Vermeulen and then Pedrosa within four laps.

The Spaniard snatched second from Stoner into the back chicane on the next lap, but Rossi was already 1.5sec clear and built his advantage to two seconds by the end of lap 7 of 26.

Lorenzo occasionally pulled a tenth or two back, but Rossi was able to stabilise his advantage at around the two-second mark until the closing stages, when he began to stretch away.

The Doctor, who made his 125cc grand prix debut in 1996, took the chequered flag first for the 100th time by 5.368sec in front of Lorenzo.

Rossi celebrated his historic victory, and third win of the season, with a one-handed wheelie before meeting his waiting fan club for a special celebration.