Sam Lowes was confident before the Moto2 race. He didn’t have the pace to keep up with the leaders, however.

Johann Zarco would end the day 63 points ahead of Lowes and 45 ahead of Tito Rabat.

Reigning champ Rabat put up a valiant fight.

But Zarco had the speed and the nerves to claim the win. On his cool down lap he also claimed some new footwear.

I can see waiving your logo flag on a victory lap, but when you come home in ninth? Hmmm.

Watching it all, Rossi’s fans waited for the main event. Pods of yellow like this one, some much larger, were scattered throughout the stands and fan areas on Saturday. Rossi has said that every race is a home race for him, but Assen might lead the list of most Rossi fans outside of Italy.

On the grid, Rossi tried to shut out the thousands of fans in the stands and hundreds of VIPs and media swarming around pole position.

Jorge Lorenzo had struggled in Qualifying and started from eighth on the grid. It wouldn’t take him long to move up five spaces, however.

Dani Pedrosa started fourth, had clutch problems on the start and dropped back, in for a long struggle.

On Page 3, the MotoGP race: