"I made a really good start, probably slightly better than Neil [Hodgson]
- we were close, but it's so important
because of the tunnel effect of turn
one," Bayliss said after the second
race. "I've done all I could this week-
it because we hadn't tested it. Colin
end, but it just hasn't been enough. If
I'd tried any harder, I'd have been in
the gravel. I almost chose a harder
tire for race two, but decided against
[Edwards] was flying today and we
would have had to do something special to beat him. The funny thing is
that we leave here and go to Assen
Hodgson (100) fought with Haga (41)
for the entire second race, but the
order at the finish stayed the same.
with exactly the same points difference as we did last year, which
should make it pretty interesting."
With Edwards and Bayliss once
more demonstrating the class- leading
form that made them the last two World
Champions, Hodgson had to fight for a
pair of third-place finishes, extending
his lead over the chasing pack of riders
in the overaII title contest.
Most people would be more
depressed than Hodgson, knowing you
are at best racing for maybe second,
and consistently third (most of his
peer group certainly seem to be), but
Hodgson is just plugging on with gusto
and a smile - whether or not he can
realistically overcome the clear Michelin advantage demonstrated or not.
"That was a tough old race,"
Hogdson said of race two. "I had
[Noriyuki] Haga right on my back
wheel, so there was no time to relax.
At the start, I tried to come across to
avoid being pushed wide, but I lost
The podiums from both legs looked
exactly the same, with (from left to
right) Bayliss, Edwards, and Hodgson,
taking second, first, and third places,
respectively.
c u e ' ..
n
_
_
51:
•
SEPTEMBER 11, 2002
7
