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MotoGP Valencia: Marquez on top after free practice three

Marc Marquez took command at the penultimate day of term at Valencia as he topped the timesheets at the end of free practice three.

The 2016 champ set the best time of the session while yesterday’s fast man Jorge Lorenzo used the time wisely to get a long run in having already done enough yesterday to secure him a spot in qualifying two later today.

The Spanish track welcomed a bright and sunny morning, but there was very little movement for the first half of the session.

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With just 20 minutes to go, Andrea Iannone and Yonny Hernandez had themselves a bit of a moment as both were slowing and neither had their eyes on the track. Iannone came up behind the Pull & Bear Aspar Team rider and clattered into him. After a bit of apologetic gesturing, both continued seemingly unfazed.

It was Britain’s Cal Crutchlow who was the first of the movers and shakers, as the LCR Honda man stuck in a personal best time which was sixth quickest, moving him up to sixth with 14 minutes to go, and that was it for another 10 minutes.

But with five to go, Marquez came out and instantly looked quick, setting his best lap of 1’30.258s to shoot straight to the top spot.

And it was a time which never looked under any serious threat. Behind, it became more of a battle of who could stay in the top 10, with Brit boys Crutchlow, Bradley Smith and Scott Redding all moving in and out as the minutes ticked by.

The only rider who seemed to be consistently quick was Suzuki Ecstar’s Maverick Vinales, who persistently set the second and third quickest times in the closing few minutes, eventually emerging second quickest with best lap of 1’30.361s.

Andrea Dovizioso’s Ducati was third quickest in the session, ahead of the Repsol Honda of Dani Pedrosa, who set the fourth fastest lap on his return from injury.

Movistar Yamaha’s Lorenzo was fifth, ahead of Monster Yamaha’s Pol Espargaro, with the second Suzuki Ecstar of Aleix Espargaro seventh.

Iannone finished eighth quickest ahead of Valentino Rossi, while Bradley Smith was the only Brit to get through, as he crossed the line tenth on his Monster Yamaha.

Crutchlow ended up 11th with Redding’s Octo Pramac Yakhnich Ducati 12th. Eugene Laverty was 20th in his final race weekend in the GP paddock.

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