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==MotoGP race report==
This race was most notable for the battle between Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden, as well as the fightback to third place from a bad qualifying from Valentino Rossi, who by then was already crowned world champion.
Before the start of the weekend, the Factory Yamaha Team had unveiled a special, one-off 'retro' livery to commemorate Yamaha's fiftieth anniversary and their very successful year in racing, replacing their main sponsor and its colours ([[Gauloises]] and dark blue) with the traditional white with red and black blocks/stripes.<ref>[https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76775/1/yamaha-confirms-retro-valencia-livery]</ref><ref>[https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76772/1/pictures-yamaha-unveils-retro-valencia-livery]</ref> They ran a similar livery before at the [[2005 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|United States]] round but that livery consisted of yellow instead of white.
On Saturday, [[Sete Gibernau]] clinched his the final pole position of the season - his fifth - with a time of 1:31.874. Second is [[Marco Melandri]] who is +0.237 seconds behind and third is [[Nicky Hayden]] who is +0.343 seconds behind. The second row of the grid consists out of [[Carlos Checa]] in fourth place, [[Max Biaggi]] in fifth place and [[Colin Edwards]] in sixth place. World champion [[Valentino Rossi]] had a poor qualifying result after a crash and starts a lowly fifteenth. Suzuki test rider [[Nobuatsu Aoki]] replaces [[Kenny Roberts Jr.]] who is still recovering from a broken left wrist he sustained after a big highside during Friday practice at the [[2005 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australian]] round, having then also confirmed his split with the team shortly after.<ref>[https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76623/1/200kph-roberts-highside-as-bad-as-it-gets]</ref><ref>[https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76718/1/roberts-and-suzuki-split]</ref><ref>[https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76787/1/secret-software-helps-aoki]</ref>
Before the start, [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] basketball player [[Michael Jordan]] is seen observing the race.
All riders take off and do their usual warm-up lap before lining up in their respective grid slots. As the lights go out, Melandri has a lightning start and shoots past teammate Gibernau to immediatly take the lead heading into the Curva Aspar (Turn 1). Hayden also manages to move up one place and is now in second place. Gibernau loses two places and is now third whilst [[Carlos Checa]] - who initially had a bad start and was swallowed up into the pack - recovered well due to a late lunge into Curva Aspar. [[Max Biaggi]] does not gain or lose any positions and is still in fifth place whilst the other Marlboro Ducati of [[Loris Capirossi]] was battling with [[Colin Edwards]] for sixth, the Italian eventually taking the position at Curva Doohan (Turn 2). Rossi managed to jump multiple riders in the midfield and has already moved up to tenth place. At Curba Doohan, Rossi already goes up the inside of [[Makoto Tamada]] for ninth, also passing some other riders on the outside. At the short straight before Curva Doohan, [[Roberto Rolfo]] goes down and out of contention on the opening lap as he touched one of the Kawasaki's and lost balance. He quickly walks away unharmed from the crash site as the marshalls run to recover the stricken bike from the gravel trap. The top six consists of Melandri in the lead, followed by Hayden, Gibernau, Biaggi, Checa and Capirossi. Rossi is now ninth. At the Curva Adrián Campos, Rossi dives down the inside of teammate Edwards to take eighth position.
On lap two, Rossi makes a lunge up the inside of [[Alex Barros]] and snatches seventh away from the Brazilian. However, on exit he runs wide and Barros repasses him, Rossi then making another late lunge up his inside at the Curva Doohan, running wide again and Barros passing him once more. The trio of Melandri, Hayden and Gibernau now start to open up a small gap to fourth place Biaggi.
Lap three and it is Melandri who sets the fastest lap, only for it to be taken away by teammate Gibernau. Rossi has managed to pass Barros and is now in seventh position. Halfway into the lap, Melandri starts to create a gap back to Hayden, who is still being shadowed by Gibernau.
On lap four, Melandri sets the fastest lap of the race. In doing so, Melandri also has set a new circuit record with a time of 1:33.096, -0.221 seconds faster of Rossi's old record from 2003 who set a time of 1:33.317. Gibernau then slows down entering the unnamed Turn 5, rapidly losing ground on Hayden and losing positions as well. This now moves everyone up to one place, including Rossi who is now sixth.By now, Checa has been able to get past Biaggi for third, the Italian trying to repass him heading into Curva Champi Herreros (Turn 12) but unable to get past. The exhaust of Gibernau displays plumes of smoke and Gibernau parks the bike next to a chicane, ending his race with engine troubles. Rossi goes up the inside of Capirossi at Curva Adrián Campos but is unable to make it stick upon exit, allowing the Spaniard to get back at him.
Lap five and Rossi has managed to get past Capirossi at the start/finish straight before Curva Aspar, promoting him up to fifth position after he went up his inside. Melandri sets the fastest lap as well. As the marshalls are still busy recovering Gibernau's bike, the Spaniard is seen kneeling in sheer, bitter dissapointment after his retirement, putting his hands in front of his visor in disbelief. Rossi has also managed to get by Biaggi by going up his inside at the Curva Àngel Nieto (Turn 6) for fourth. At Curva Adrián Campos, Rossi closes right up to Checa but is unable to pass.
On lap six, the top six is as follows: Melandri, Hayden, Checa, Rossi, Biaggi and Capirossi. At Curva Doohan, Checa runs a bit wide but is just able to hang on heading into the unnamed Turn 3. At Turn 4 however, he runs wide again, leaving the door open for Rossi to go up his inside and take third position.
Lap seven and Melandri has a +0.648 second gap back to Hayden. By now, Hayden has a big gap back to Rossi in third. No overtakes happen at the front.
On lap eight, everything is stable at the front. Checa has opened up a small gap back to Capirossi, who is coming under pressure from Barros.
Lap nine and Melandri still leads, followed by Hayden. The gap is still relatively stable between the two, Rossi still in the back being followed by Checa. Aoki has retired from the race with technical problems, the Japanese angrily kicking the gravel and walking off unhurt.
On lap ten, no overtakes happened at the front as it is Melandri who still leads, followed by Hayden and further back Rossi in third place.
Lap eleven and Barros has managed to get past Capirossi, moving him up to sixth position. Hayden is also slowly closing up to Melandri whilst his gap back to Rossi on the last lap was +4.973 seconds. Further back, Checa is also right behind Rossi now.
On lap twelve, Hayden's gap back to Rossi has increased to +5.075 seconds. No overtakes happened.
Lap thirteen and Capirossi has passed Barros for sixth, demoting him back to seventh again. Checa is still very close to the rear of Rossi but he is not able to get past.
On lap fourteen, Melandri's gap back to Hayden is +0.453 seconds. Fifth place Biaggi is starting to come under pressure from Capirossi, himself still being harassed by Barros behind him.
Lap fifteen and Melandri looks behind him to see how far Hayden behind him is exiting Curva Doohan. The American is now slowly closing the small gap to Melandri again as his gap to Rossi is now +5.830 seconds.
On lap sixteen, Rossi is opening up a gap to Checa in fourth. No overtakes happened at the front.
Lap seventeen and Barros has passed Capirossi, promoting him up to sixth spot. Hayden's gap back to Rossi has been reduced by 'The Doctor', cutting it to +5.084 seconds in sector two. In sector three, Rossi reduces that gap again to +4.926 seconds.
On lap eighteen, [[Kurtis Roberts]] is seen walking to the pits after retiring from the race. In sector one, Hayden's gap back to Rossi was +5.130 and has increased to +5.136 in sector two.
Lap nineteen and Melandri is still in front, Hayden still shadowing him in second place. No overtakes happened at the front.
On lap twenty, the top six is as follows: Melandri, Hayden, Rossi, Checa, Biaggi and Barros. Barros is now slowly closing in on Biaggi, being right behind at the Curva Adrián Campos.
Lap twenty-one and Melandri's gap back to Hayden is +0.429 seconds. Entering Curva Adrián Campos, Barros dived down the inside of Biaggi but runs wide, allowing 'The Emperor' to get back past him.
On lap twenty-two, Barros is still shadowing Biaggi in fifth. Hayden is doing likewise to Melandri. The American closes up to Melandri at Curva Adrián Campos but does not make a move yet.
Lap twenty-three and Hayden is now starting to put some pressure on Melandri again. Further back, Barros is also very close to the rear of Biaggi but neither try to make a move. The duo now encounters their first backmarker in the form of [[Franco Battaini]]. Battaini first lets Melandri go at the Curva de la Afición (Turn 7) before Hayden dives down his inside entering the slower Turn 8. Exiting Turn 10, Melandri goes a little wide and Hayden almost goes through but gets blocked by the Italian as he retakes the line to make Turn 11.
On lap twenty-four, Barros is still closely following Biaggi, with Hayden putting pressure on Melandri at the front.
Lap twenty-five and Capirossi has closed the gap to Barros, eyeing a move up his inside at the entrance of Curva Aspar but thinking better of it. At Curva Adrián Campos, Hayden looks to be making a move around the outside but stays behind for now.
On lap twenty-six, Melandri's gap back to Hayden is +0.116 seconds. The front is still stable with Melandri leading and Hayden putting the pressure on.
Lap twenty-seven and Rossi is closing the gap ever more to the leaders at the front, from +3.368 seconds in sector one to +3.247 seconds in sector two, but is still too far to really think about joining the title fight. Hayden is now all over the rear of Melandri but still has not made a move on him.
On lap twenty-eight, the top six is as follows: Melandri, Hayden, Rossi, Checa, Biaggi and Barros. Exiting Turn 3, Hayden slides his rear tyre over the asphalt and loses a bit of time from it. However, he makes that time up very quickly and is all over the rear of the Italian at the Curva de la Afición already. At the exit of Turn 10, Hayden goes a bit wide entering Turn 11 and loses a bit of ground to Melandri.
Lap twenty-nine, the penultimate lap, and Barros has managed to get past Biaggi, promoting him up to fifth position. Melandri has decided to up his pace and open a small gap, Rossi further back in third.
As Melandri crosses the line to start the final lap - lap thirty - Hayden is not yet close enough to make a move. At the final sector however, he manages to close up and at Turn 13, tries to go up the inside but Melandri blocks him off, preventing him from making a proper move. Exiting Curva Adrián Campos, Hayden tries to use the slipstream but it isn't enough to get past and so Melandri wins the race - his second, back-to-back win of the season - with Hayden only +0.097 seconds behind in second position. Further back is Rossi in third, Checa in a lonely fourth and Barros managed to finish ahead of Biaggi in fifth and sixth respectively.
On the parade lap back to parc-fermé, Melandri is ecstatic and goes crazy on his bike with his hands. Hayden meanwhile is furious that he wasn't able to get him on the line. He slams his Honda with joy as he cannot believe he has managed to win, standing on his bike levers and throwing his arms up in the air. He throws his arm in the air once more, then sits down on his bike again as he stops and some of his fans come and celebrate with him. He does a burnout as well, falling on the ground along with his bike as he was doing so. He quickly grabs it and goes on again, his fans surrounding him and celebrating his second MotoGP victory of the year, as well as all-time. After Melandri continues his ride, he slams his bike with both hands again, still not believing he has just won the race. Rossi meanwhile cheerfully waves at the crowd before stopping and doing a burnout as well. Melandri by now is riding with the Italian flag, waving it proudly for all to see. He points at the camera to signal number one, then continues displaying the flag before giving it to someone as he continues. Checa also waves at the crowd as Hayden waves to the crowd, dissapointed to not have won the race instead. He does a wheelie before returning to the pits.
At parc-fermé, Hayden is the first to return. He parks his bike, then steps off and checks his rear tyre to see how badly it's deteriorated. He pulls off his helmet and then fistbumps two of his Repsol Honda crewmembers. Next up is Rossi who arrives, calmly getting off his bike as Melandri is still out celebrating on the track. He shakes hands with Checa at the penultimate corner. He eventually arrives at the pits, still greeting the trackside fans who greet him back. He parks the bike, immediatly gets off and starts to hug and celebrate with his Movistar Honda crew. He then stands on the barriers - the officials holding it for safety reasons - as he celebrates on top of it, eventually getting off. Rossi talks to his crew as Melandri talks to his team before finally taking off his helmet to show off a delighted winner. He briefly shakes hands with Hayden before continuing the talks with his crew.
Rossi talks to some important figures before casually heading onto the podium, waving at the crowd as he steps on the podium. A smiling but dissapointed Hayden steps onto the podium in second and an absolutely delighted Melandri, who throws both his arms up in the air as he stands on the top step. He shakes hands with the other two before the trophy handouts begin. [[David Serra Cervera]], the regional sports secretary of [[Valencia]], hands out the third place trophy to a mildly satisfied Rossi, who lifts it in the air briefly before putting it down again. He also hands out the second place trophy to Hayden, lifting up and kissing the trophy before [[Francesco Zerbi]], the President of the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]] hands out the winners trophy to Melandri, happily accepting it, kissing it and raising it above his head. The Italian national anthem plays for Melandri as the crowd loudly sings along, Melandri smiling in delight and joining them. The podium girls hand out the champagne and Rossi cheekily sprays one of them as Hayden does likewise, Melandri opting to spray his chief mechanic instead. Both Rossi and Melandri then spray the crowd, Hayden spraying Melandri and then the cameraman as fireworks go off in the back to commemorate the final race of the season.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu859Y13p6M]</ref>
==MotoGP classification==
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