Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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World Championship Road Racing Series Round 2: South African Grand Prix the chance to dive undemeath on lap 22. By now, Nieto had started to speed up, more comfortable as his fuel load lightened, and was leaning on Rolfo, who responded by catching up to de Puniet. Nieto was flying, setting fastest lap as he nipped past Rolfo and started to lean on Locatelli. He finally got past with a hard push inside into the second tight corner. This pushed Locatelli wide again, and gave Rolfo the chance to dive through to take fourth, de Puniet a little way back in sixth. A long way behind, Emilio Alzamora's factory Honda finally prevailed after what had earlier been a big battle with the privateers. Seb Porto (Yamaha) was close behind, with Alex Debon (Aprilia) ninth and David Checa (Aprilia) losing touch at the finish in tenth, well clear of Naoki Matsudo's Yamaha. Battaini and de Punjet share the points lead with 26 apiece, and the Japanese wild card Miyazaki is equal with Melandri on 25, with Alzamora fifth on 22 and Rolfo sixth on 21. 12Scc GRAND PRIX Processional but tense, the first race of the day saw a big leading group playing tactics and tire preservation for the full distance. Pole starter Danj Pedrosa (Honda) was the early leader, and then it went back and forth in a desultory fashion between Manuel Poggiali (Gilera), Pablo Nieto (Aprilia) and a couple of times Amaud Vincent (AprjJja). By the finish, there were still eight in the pack, and it was resolved on the last time around of the twisting circuit, as Arnaud Vincent's rather (Above) Kenny Roberts Jr. (10) pulled out of the race with what he thought was a tire problem, though It was later diagnosed as a steering-damper dilemma. (RIght! John Hopkins (21) held ott the Aprilla Cube, ridden by Regis Laconl, to finish an eventual 14th in what was his second-ever Grand Prix. (Below) Shinya Nakano (56) leads Norlck Abe and Alex Barros In the MotoGP. Nakano finished eighth, with Abe seventh. Barros tailed to finish. premature attack was firmly countered in a classy ride by Poggiali. Vincent was second, and Pedrosa third, after the misfortunate Nieto pushed slightly too hard last time over the bumps, losing two places to take fifth behind Stevie Jenkner (Aprilia), a front-running presence throughout. Alex de Angelis (Aprilia) was a close sixth, holding off Gino Borsoi (Aprilia), who had caught up steadily throughout. Five riders were out in a first-corner crash, including fancied runners Youichi Ui (Derbi), Lucchio Cecchinello (Aprilia) and Joan Olive (Honda). Japan winner Vincent still heads the championships, with 45 points to Poggiali (41), Pedrosa (24), Giansanti (20 - a lackluster 16th today) and Sanna (19). 10 MAY 1. 2002' III U III •• n • _ s