Dani Pedrosa claimed the top step at Brno today with a flawless performance in the Czech Republic, winning the 26th premier class race of his career. Just as remarkable, if not more so, was the absence of Marc Marquez, not only from the winner’s step but from the podium altogether.

Marquez said after the race: “Today was one of those Sundays in which I neither felt completely comfortable, nor had found the best setup for the bike. It wasn’t down to a mistake by me or by the team, it was simply that we didn’t have the same feeling as on other Sundays.”

Repsol Honda Team remains perfect, having taken every race of the 2014 season thanks to their two top riders. Jorge Lorenzo showed his reclaimed form by battling with Pedrosa for the lead and finishing in a strong second place. Valentino Rossi passed Marquez toward the end of the race to claim yet another podium in his long career.

Marquez’ defeat created an odd camaraderie among the otherwise bitter rivals in Parc Fermé. But the reality is that Marquez is likely to continue his winning ways and be just as tough to beat for the remainder of the season as he has been in the first half.

Photo: ©2014 by Repsol Honda Team / Repsol Honda Team