Gresini Honda rider Toni Elias met the huge expecations of the home fans with a stunning ride in the Grand Prix of Spain, battling for a podium position in a race won by Valentino Rossi, ahead of Dani Pedrosa and Colin Edwards.
The youngster from Manresa, who celebrates his 24th birthday tomorrow, recovered important positions after making a disappointing start from the third row of the grid and charged through to fourth place in a high-paced race. As the first Bridgestone rider across the line, Elias once again showed his grit and determination.
It was a real shame for his team-mate Marco Melandri, who dominated the morning warm-up but didn’t find the right feeling with his bike for the race and struggled to eighth place. Marco is now looking ahead to tomorrow’s test and to the next GP in Turkey, where he has taken victory for the past two seasons.
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