Marquez is still leader of pack

MARC MARQUEZ stretched his MotoGP championship lead after breaking free from a six-bike battle in Assen.

The Repsol Honda rider won for the fourth time this season, finishing ahead of Alex Rins and Maverick Vinales in Holland.

“It was a fight with everybody and I think everybody had contact with everybody,” said Marquez. “It felt like a

Moto3 race.” Starting from pole, the Spaniard lost the lead on the opening lap to Jorge Lorenzo, who made a sensational start on the Ducati to charge from

10th to second ahead of the first corner before taking the lead.

As the pack jostled for position, Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi found his way through to second and rear-ended Lorenzo on lap five.

The pair held position but it wasn’t to last, with places changing several times each lap. Suzuki Ecstar rider Rins shoved Marquez wide on lap 12 to take second and the four-time champion almost crashed out.

Lorenzo’s choice of a soft front tyre caught up with him and he began to drop down the order, Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales taking the lead on lap 19.

Marquez moved ahead a lap later but Vinales wasn’t about to give up and made a move on the 21st lap, running himself and the leader off the track.

But Marquez was ready to take charge and as Rossi, Vinales and Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso went three abreast into the penultimate corner a lap later, he made his way past the trio to take a lead he would not relinquish.

Rins, who overcame a sickness bug to finish second, said: “Thanks to all the doctors who helped and my team.”