Lorenzo set to ride through pain barrier

Defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo is set to start the Dutch MotoGP despite undergoing surgery on a broken collarbone after he impressed in the warm-up on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Spaniard – who is second in the title race seven points behind compatriot Dani Pedrosa after six races – said that he was concerned how he would cope with overtaking during Saturday’s race but he had felt less pain the more laps he rode in the warm-up on his Yamaha.

“In the first laps of the warm up I felt a lot of pain, especially when the bike accelerated and I had to hold it strongly,” he said.

“I thought of either giving up or continuing but luckily I continued and the pain decreased as I did more laps. I’ve grown accustomed to molding my body to the bike to avoid pain. The problem will be in the race when I have to overtake on the brakes because I can´t force the shoulder a lot.

“Anyway, I have decided to race. Just finishing the race would be a small victory for me but I would like to take at least five points or more, to take less would not be much after suffering a lot.

Lorenzo, who also won the world title in 2010, underwent the operation in Barcelona early Friday morning after a high-speed crash in practice in Assen on Thursday.

He will start from 12th position on the grid – taking his best time from Thursday’s practice session – while British rider Cal Crutchlow will be on pole for the first time on a Yamaha works bike.