Rossi takes MotoGP lead with Le Mans win

Valentino Rossi won the French Grand Prix yesterday to celebrate his 90th victory in all categories and take the lead in the MotoGP world championship.

The Italian, who started from the second row on a rainy day, finished comfortably ahead of Spanish team-mate Jorge Lorenzo. American Colin Edwards completed a Yamaha sweep with third.

Spain's Dani Pedrosa, who had claimed pole position, finished fourth on his Honda to lose the championship lead to Rossi.

Former champion Rossi leads the standings on 97 points, followed by Lorenzo and Pedrosa on 94.

Rossi equalled Spaniard Angel Nieto's tally of 90 Grand Prix wins, putting them joint second in the all-time rankings, and moved four victories away from Italian Giacomo Agostini's record 68 wins in the showcase category.

Agostini won a record 122 races in all categories.

Nieto was on hand to take Rossi around the circuit on a post-race parade lap, with the Italian riding pillion and brandishing a flag proclaiming "90+90".

Lorenzo meanwhile needed the help of crutches to get to the podium, where he sat on a chair to relieve the pain from his ankles.

Australian world champion Casey Stoner finished out of the points on his Ducati after breaking down and having to switch machines.

Spaniard Alex Debon scored his first win by claiming the 250cc race from two Italians, Marco Simoncelli and Mattia Pasini.

Derbi rider Mike Di Meglio became the first Frenchman to win a 125cc race at Le Mans in 26 years, beating two Aprilia riders, Briton Bradley Smith and Spaniard Nicolas Terol, into second and third places respectively.