Italy's Marco Melandri clinched the runners-up spot behind Valentino Rossi in the MotoGP world championship after winning the season-ending Valencian Grand Prix on Sunday.
The former 250cc world champion, who notched up his maiden MotoGP victory last time out in Turkey, led from the start of the 30-lap race and held off rival Nicky Hayden to ensure he finished 14 points ahead of the American in the standings.
Rossi, who started the race back in an unaccustomed 15th place on the grid after struggling in qualification, charged through the field to take third place but was frustrated in his attempt to equal Mick Doohan's record of 12 race wins in a season.
The charismatic Yamaha rider, who wrapped up his fifth premier class world title in Malaysia in September, finished off the podium in only one of this season's 17 races.
Spain's Carlos Checa confirmed his fine end-of-season form with fourth place on his Ducati in front of his own crowd.
