Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127996
(Left) John Kocinski (19) tries to hold off Alex Criville's (3) charge to the front. Kocinski was unsuccessful, though he was able to end up second in the race - his best finish of the season. TAe ou ter two fingers of his left hand were dislocated, and he was taken to hospital for surgery to relocate the troublesome little finger. There were a number of other crashes at the notorious circuit, and only 14 finishers. With just two left-handers on the lap, that side of the tire runs dangerously cool. Today Criville used dual, compound Michelin tires: hard compound in the middle, soft shoulders on both sides. It was the second time a race has been won with mixed rubber, with the first coming at Mugello last year. The battle for third was furious, giving a surprise rostrum spot to Tetsuya Harada's V-twin Aprilia, at a track where the long straights are supposed to favor the V-fours. It was the lightweight twin's second rostrum finish, and their first in dry weather. But with the morepowerful V-fours suffering tire problems, it was another twin in a close fourth, with Repsol Honda's Sete Gibernau edging out slow starter Carlos Checa and his Marlboro Yamaha and Antena 3 Yamaha's Norick Abe. Earlier, Shell Advance Honda's Tohru Ukawa claimed his first-ever GP win and extended his points lead after a (Right) Kenny Roberts crashed late in the race while trying to keep pace with Criville. He was fortunate not to injure himself. (Left) Tetsuya Harada gives chase to Tadayuki Okada en route to finishing an eventual third on the V-twin Aprilia. rather processional 250cc GP came alive on the final lap, the rostrum candidates shuffling positions as crashes and breakdowns took control. Valentino Rossi lost a clear lead of about four seconds when his factory Aprilia stopped at the end of the startfinish straight. He was racing his spare bike after trouble on the warmup lap, but the problem was the drive chain, which had jumped the sprockets. Second Aprilia rider Marcellino Lucchi had a similar problem, but he managed to put it back on to finish 15th to save one point. Jeremy McWilliams then threw away second place, having fended off a challenge from Shinya Nakano's Chesterfield Yamaha, only to crash at one of the track's notorious pair of left-handers. Then Fila Honda's Stefano Perugini managed to prevail in what was the best dice of the race, claiming the last rostrum spot from Franco Battaini, Ralf Waldmann and impressive privateer Jay Vincent, the group crossing the line within a second. Later, Battaini was penalized for overtaking under a yellow flag and lost two places, The first race of the day brought a first-ever win for longtime 125cc star Roberto Locatelli - a runaway from '! 7