And with just one top-10 finish so far this season, at Assen, that is certainly how it has turned out.
Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi should be fit to start in Assen on Saturday, despite suffering injuries in the same incident.
BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Motorbikes | Rossi aims to race despite crash
Rossi, who is looking for a third consecutive win this season, is also seeking a third win in a row at Assen.
BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Motorbikes | Rossi aims to race despite crash
As for Rossi, the broken hand he sustained in a crash on the Thursday before Assen left him unable to really compete.
BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Motorbikes | All to play for in MotoGP
His injury gave the other riders at Assen the ideal opportunity to take advantage and Hayden was the one who really capitalised.
BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Motorbikes | All to play for in MotoGP
The English rider won the title at Assen on Sunday and immediately spelt out his hopes that a turbulent start to his career can finally be laid to rest.
BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Motorbikes | Hodgson looks to future
In 2004, BalkanLeaks co-founder Assen Yordanov was also attacked and beaten by a group of assailants outside his apartment in Burgas, Bulgaria after publishing an article on allegedly corrupt land sales.
FORBES: Following WikiLeaks' Playbook, BalkanLeaks Releases Insurance File With Its Spilled Secrets
Speaking to BBC Newsnight Bulgaria's Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Assen Vassilev said he did not think there would be a mass exodus of Bulgarians when the changes came into effect.
"We've had an extra week of holiday which has been really important because now we have three races coming up in four weekends, at Mugello, Catalunya and Assen, and they will all be very hard, " said Rossi.
Italian ace Valentino Rossi again struggled on his Ducati and was back in ninth spot, while San Carlo Honda Gresini's Alvaro Bautista will start from the back of the grid after being penalized for his crash last weekend at Assen where he took out Lorenzo on the first bend.
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