Preview - Dutch TT.

World Champion Valentino Rossi plans to head the 75th birthday party for the Dutch TT at the legendary Assen circuit on Saturday.

The Italian is in the form of his lifetime as he prepares for round seven of the MotoGP World Championship around the 3.726 miles circuit in North Holland which has rightly been called the 'Cathedral of Grand Prix Motorcycle racing'.

The Van Drenthe circuit, with its unique banked curves, has been hosting motor cycle racing for the last 80 years, with the Dutch TT - traditionally run on the last weekend in June - celebrating its 75th anniversary this weekend.

This year the circuit, which is situated south of Gronigan has been slightly reduced to 3.726 miles. For many riders the track and its unique banked curves is the ultimate challenge. Although there are no long straights the average speed for a lap is still the fastest of all grand prix venues.

Vast crowds have been attracted over the years to watch the riders race through the succession of fast flowing bends such as Haarbotch and Ramshoek. The circuit and facilities have constantly been updated. This year a new 'floating' grandstand has been built over the gravel trap at the chicane leading into the start and finish straight.

Assen is the last classic grand prix venue remaining on the MotoGP calendar. Fans from all over Europe will flock to 'The Cathedral' on Saturday. As for the last 80 years, the only thing that could spoil their ultimate enjoyment of such a unique event could be the weather.

The TT attracts around 120,000 spectators and is regarded as the biggest sporting event of the year in Holland and this year will be no exception with the fans flocking from all over Europe to watch Rossi in action. The Gauloises Yamaha rider leads the championship by a massive 58-points after winning five of the six opening rounds and has an equally impressive record at Assen.

He won the MotoGP race in 2002 and also last year after a tremendous battle with Sete Gibernau. Rossi has also won the 125 and 250cc races but despite this - and that points lead - will expect another close fought 19 lap encounter on Saturday around the fastest of the 17 MotoGP Championship venues.

Former 250cc World Champion Marco Melandri is also having a superb season riding the Movistar Honda and has a great record at the Dutch circuit. He lies second in the championship and returns to the track where he became the youngest ever grand prix winner with victory in the 1998 125cc race. He followed this with a 250cc victory three years ago and finished third, riding a Yamaha in the MotoGP race last year.

His team-mate Gibernau was the only rider to push Rossi at Barcelona two weeks ago and also in Assen last year, after a fairing-bashing last lap followed by no talking on the podium. He won the race two-years ago when Rossi could only finish third and how he'd love a repeat on Saturday to boost his ailing Championship chances.

Gibernau currently lies in fourth place, four adrift of Max Biaggi who finished a disappointing sixth in Barcelona riding the Repsol Honda. The Italian also has a good record in Holland. He won the 500cc race for Yamaha in 2001 and also secured two 250cc victories in the nineties.

The only rider to beat Rossi this season is Brazilian veteran Alex Barros and he also has a useful history in Assen. The Camel Honda rider is currently fifth in the championship and rode hard to finish fourth in Barcelona before returning to Assen where he won the 500cc race five years ago.

Two Americans, Colin Edwards and Nicky Hayden are sixth and seventh respectively and will be looking for good results to boost the championship points tally and also prepare for their return to the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca two weeks later.

The Ducati Marlboro team had a disappointing Barcelona after so much encouragement in Mugello the week before and tyre problems dogged many of the teams in the Spanish sunshine including Kawasaki and Suzuki.

Spaniard Toni Elias is expected to return to the Fortuna Yamaha team, alongside Ruben Xaus, after missing the last two races with a wrist and leg injury.

Fellow rookie James Ellison, riding in his first full MotoGP season, loves the Assen circuit after winning his first ever European Superstock Championship race at the Dutch circuit en route to two European titles in 2000 and 2001.

He's always wanted to return and race a MotoGP bike on the legendary circuit and he gets his chance on Saturday. As always it will be a tough race for the Cumbrian riding the under powered Blata/WCM, and he will be praying the sunshine disappears and the rain arrives as it often does in this part of North Holland.

Countryman Shane Byrne is hopeful the long sweeping curves of Assen will suit the power characteristics of his KTM-powered Proton KR machine. The former British Superbike Champion is having problems with the lack of acceleration out of the corners with the machine while reliability and top speed are improving all the time.

Meanwhile, there could be a few changes in the 250cc class where World Champion Dani Pedrosa arrives with a 27-point lead over Australian Casey Stoner.

Pedrosa, riding the Movistar Honda, has won the last three races in brilliant style and Stoner will be looking to secure his third win of he season to prevent Pedrosa doing a Rossi in the 250cc class.

The current 125cc World Champion Andrea Dovizioso slipped to third despite a brave ride into third place at Barcelona after a high speed practice crash. Not so lucky was Spanish youngster Jorge Lorenzo who crashed in the race and broke his collarbone. He is battling to be fit to ride the Fortuna Honda.

Australian Anthony West who won the wet race in 2003, returns to the action riding the Wurth Honda BQR machine while he waits for the debut of the KTM he is contracted to ride in the Championship.

Italian Mattia Pasini won his second 125cc race of the season in Barcelona to grab a slender one point lead in the Championship. The Totti Top Sport - NGS Aprilia rider leads Swiss Honda rider Thomas Luthi by a singe point with Finnish KTM rider Mika Kallio just another one point behind in third place.

It's equally close behind the leading trio with fourth placed Gabor Talmacsi leading Italian Marco Simoncelli by three points.