Yamaha ace fractures bone in wrist ahead of Dutch GP (ANSA) - Assen, June 22 - Italy's MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi gritted his teeth and completed Thursday's practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix despite injuries picked up in a spectacular crash earlier .

The Yamaha rider lost control of his bike at about 160 km/h and skidded off the Assen track, fracturing a bone in his right wrist and twisting his left ankle .

After seeing doctors, the 27-year-old Italian returned to the track and did 25 more laps. But he was evidently in pain and only succeeded in clocking the 12th fastest time .

It is too early to say what impact - if any - Thursday's fall will have on Rossi's championship hopes. The Yamaha rider has staged a come-back recently after a poor start to the season .

Thanks to victories in the last two races, he has moved from eighth to third in the standings. He trails championship leader Nicky Hayden of the United States by 30 points, with just over half the season to go .



Rossi said he was grateful his injuries had not been worse, especially because the Dutch Grand Prix is followed a week later by the British one, leaving little time for recovery .

"If you get hurt at this point in the season it's really tough. I'm OK, but at the moment racing is really difficult," the Italian star admitted .

His spill came five days after fellow Italians Loris Capirossi of Ducati and Honda's Marco Melandri were involved in a major crash at the start of the Catalunya Grand Prix .

Both riders had to go to hospital but doctors later said they were fit enough to race this weekend and so they took part in the practice session at Assen on Thursday along with Rossi. Rossi said he had seen his injured co-nationals and that they still bore the signs of their recent crash .

"Marco looks like he's been beaten up and Loris isn't looking too good either," he said. "Out of three Italian riders here, there isn't one that's all in one piece" .

Rossi's Yamaha teammate Colin Edwards clocked the fastest time in practice ahead of Carlos Checa on an unofficial Yamaha and Casey Stoner was third on a Honda .

Final positions on the starting grid will be decided on Friday .