With Derbi, the man from Mallorca has already got a victory. He won the race in Rio de Janeiro in 2003, whereas Rodriguez, who was in the WSC in Jorge Martinez Aspar�s team, replaces the ex World Champion Emilio Alzamora. Jorge Lorenzo says that he is "Dying to start the pre-season, since I have not been on a racing bike for almost two months. Derbi have been working hard since last season and I am convinced that this year we are going to be competitive and before the first GP we will have enough time to test many new things and to develop them correctly".

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Angel Rodriguez, who officially returns to the WSC this season, explained that "I have tried the Derbi on two occasions, but this time I had a special sensation, since I am going to start the season. After a long year outside the WSC, I am dying to race in the WSC again and the objective is to cover as many kilometresas possible� before the first GP and to know all the reactions of the bike so that it can begin strongly".

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Derbi has programmed five sessions of testing before the beginning of the championship: Almeria (3rd - 5th February), Catalunya (17th - 18th February), Estoril (27th - 28th February), Catalunya (23rd - 24th March) and Jerez (27th - 28th March).