Lorenzo set for Dutch MotoGP despite surgery

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. Source: AFP