Rossi falls on first lap at Assen.

MotoGP World Championship leader Valentino Rossi has fallen on the opening lap of Saturday's Dutch TT at Assen.

The Fiat Yamaha star, who made a poor start from third on the grid, lost the rear of his M1 on the entry to a tight left hand hairpin - the rear wheel whipping around and swiping Randy de Puniet from his LCR Honda.

Rossi, Dutch MotoGP 2008
Rossi, Dutch MotoGP 2008
© Gold and Goose

MotoGP World Championship leader Valentino Rossi has fallen on the opening lap of Saturday's Dutch TT at Assen.

The Fiat Yamaha star, who made a poor start from third on the grid, lost the rear of his M1 on the entry to a tight left hand hairpin - the rear wheel whipping around and swiping Randy de Puniet from his LCR Honda.

de Puniet appears to have sustained a leg injury, while Rossi was eventually able to rejoin a distant last.

Up front, pole sitter Casey Stoner overtook Dani Pedrosa for the lead at the end of the first lap and promptly began pulling away.

Stoner began the race 45 points from Rossi, with Pedrosa just eleven adrift of the #46...

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