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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128178
World Championship Road Race Series Round 1 S: Australian Grand Prix likewise in second, and also Rolfo (199) in third. Elias and Porto both have 172 points; Battaini 133. 12Scc GRAND PRIX Close racing is inevitable at Phillip Island, especially in this class, but a nine-strong leading group quickly shrank to seven after six laps as fast starters Olive and Dovizioso dropped back. The remainder went back and forth everywhere, running into corners three and four abreast, tucked into one another's draft on the straights, and with the lead changing hands over and over. Pedrosa had got away first, then Sanna took the lead, then Poggiali before Cecchinello took over on lap five. Vincent led for the first and only time over the line at half-distance, but his bike appeared to lack speed compared with the others, and for the second half of the race Cecchinello took over, the rest concertina -fashion behind him. De Angelis was consistently chal· lenging for the lead, then slowed suddenly and pulled off at the slow MG corner with eight laps to go. Nieto had caught the group from a slow start, and in the closing stages he was moving through, challenging for the lead on the final lap. But Poggiali's bike was fast and the rider well in control, and he pounced on Cecchinello with half a lap left, controlling the position to the flag. Cecchinello was second and Nieto third. Vincent and his trio seemed to be losing touch, but he fought back in the last lap and was just unable to draft alongside Nieto at the finish. Pedrosa had followed Vincent back to the leaders and was less than two tenths adrift over the line, the first five crossing the line in 0.575 seconds. Sanna slowed only in the closing stages, to finish another four seconds away, but well clear of the next group, where Steve Jenkner had escaped from Masao Azuma, Joan Olive and Andrea Dovizioso. Ballerini, Perugini, Ui, Barbera and Giansanti took the rest of the points; Lorenzo, Leuthi and Kallio crashed out; Borsoi pitted to retire. One more race will settle the title. Manuel Poggiali (1) got his fourth 125cc win of the year and now trails Arnaud Vincent (21) by eight points, with one race remaining. 14 OCTOBER 30.2002' a U c I • n.""s Vincent still leads, on 253 points; Poggiali is looming on 245, and Pedrosa is out of the picture on 218. Cecchinello is fourth on 172, Jenkner 157. eN AustraJian &rand Prix Philip Islaad. Australia Resufts:Octaber, 20, 2002 125cc QUALIFYING: I. Manuel Poggiali (I :38.632): 2. Arnaud Vincent (I :38.889); 3. Alex De Angel;. (1:38.903); 4. Steve Jenkner (1:38.926); 5. Lucio Cecchinello (1 :39.223); 6. Pablo Nieto (1:39.296); 7. Simone Sanna (1:39.334); 8. Stefono B;onco (I :39.369); 9. Andrea Dov;z;oso (I :39.498); 10. D21niel PedrOSll (1:39.618); 11. Mikll Kallio (I :39.632); 12. Andreo Boller;ni (1 :39.685); 13. Stefano Perugini (1 :39.709); 14. Daniel Pedrosll (1:39.618); 15. G;no 6o..oi (1:39.960); 16. Joon Olive (1:40.985); 17. Masao Azuma (1:40.326); 18. Marco Simoncelli (1:40.335); 19. Hector Barbera (1:40.715); 20. GoborTolmocs; (1:40.985); 21. Max Sobboblni (1 :40.998); 22. Jorge Lorenzo (1 :41.059); 23. Michel Fobr;z;o (1:41.071): 24. Mirko Gjonsanti (1:41.138); 25. Klaus Nohl.. (1:41.415); 26. Noboru Ueda (1:41.613); 27. Mattio Angeloni (1:41.716); 28. Alex BoldoHni (1:41.884); 29. Chal Dov;es (1:42.417); 30. Imre Toth (1:42.862); 31. Thomos Luthi (1:43.039); 32. Joshuo Wote.. (1:44.031); 33. Dario Giuseppetti (1 :44.332); 34. Christien Pistoni (1:44.437); 35. Peter Holme. (1:45.444); 36. Jeremy Crowe (1:45.513). 250cc QUAUFYING: 1. Fonsi Nieto (1:33.904); 2. Marco Melandri (1 :34.096); 3. Sebastian Porto (1:34.336); 4. Ton; Elios (1:34.507); 5. Rondy De Pun;et (1:34.554); 6. Franco Botto;n; (1:34.773); 7. Jaroslav Hules (1 :35.347); 8. Alex Debao (I :35.487); 9. Roberto Rolfo (1 :35.590); 10. Leon Haslam (1:35.628); II. Emilio Alzamoro (1:35.787); 12. David Checa (1:35.866): 13. Casey Stoner (1 :35.916); 14. Roberto Locotelli (1 :36.092); 15. Haruchik8 Aoki (1 :36.198); 16. Naoki M8tsudo (1:36.486): 17. Jay Vincent (1:36.519); 18. Shahrol Yuzy (1:36.939); 19. Hector Foubel (1:37.342); 20. Erwan Nigon (1 :37.560); 21. Dirk Heidolf (1 :37.642); 22. Jakub Smrz (1:37.840); 23. Hugo Marchand (1:37.883); 24. Raul Jara (1:38.149); 25. Rus.ell Holland (1 :38.529). MatoGP QUALIFYING: I. Jeremy McWilliams (1:31.919); 2. Garry McCoy (1:32.325); 3. Nobuatsu Aoki (1:32.477); 4. Jurgen vd Goorbergh (1:32.509); 5. Alex Barros (1 :32.572); 6. Tohru Ukewli (1:32.592); 7. Volentino Ro.s; (1:32.849); 8. Max Biaggi (1:32.889); 9. Lor;. Capiros.; (1:32.918); 10. Daij;ro Kato (1:32.927); 11. Reg;s Lacon; (1:32.927); 12. Kenny Roberts Jr. (1:33.116); 13. Shinichi Itoh (1:33.160); 14. John Hopkins (i:33.424); 15. Sete Gibemau (I :33.433); 16. Shinyo Nakano (1 :33.471); 17. Olivier Jacque (1:33.565); 18. Tetsuya HaTad8 (1:33.572); 19. Andrew Pitt (1:33.842); 20. Carlo. Choco (1:33.848); 21. Jose Lu;s Cordoso (1 :34.447). 125c< GRAND PRIX: 1. Monuel Poggioli (G;I); 2. Lucio Cecchinello (Apr); 3. Pablo Nieto (Apr); 4. Arnaud Vincent (Apr): 5. Daniel Pedrosa (Hon); 6. Simone Sanna (Apr); 7. Steve Jenkner (Apr); 8. M8SlIO Azuma (Apr); 9. Joe" Olive (Hon); 10. Andrea Dovwoso (Hon); 11. Andrea B8l1erini (Apr); 12. Stefano Perugini (ltl); 13. Youichi Ui (Der); 14. Hector Barberll (Apr); 15. Mirki Giansanti (Hon); 16. Gobor Taimocsi (Hon); 17. Max Sobbotani (Apr); 18. Killius Nehles (Hon); 19. Mattia Angeloni (Gil); 20. Alex Baldo);nj (Apr); 21. Noboru Ueda (Hon); 22. Chaz Davies (Apr); 23. Imte Toth (Hen); 24. Dario Giuseppetti (Hon); 25. Joshua Waters (Hon); 26. Peter Holmes (Hon); 27. Jeremy Crowe (Hon). lime: 38 min. 9.028 sea. Distance: 63.42 miles Average speed: 99.75 mph Margin of victory: .252 sees. Fastest lap: Daniel Pedrosa, lap 23,1:37.983 250cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Marco Melandr; (Apr); 2. Fonsi Nieto (Apr); 3. Sebastian Porto (Yam); 4. Roberto Rolfo (Hon); 5. Toni Elias (Apr); 6. Randy De Puniet (Apr); 7. Franco Bllttaini (Apr); 8. David Choca (Apr); 9. Alex Debon (Apr); 10. Casey Stoner (Apr); I I. Haruchikll Aokl (Hon); 12. Jaroslav Hules (Yllm); 13. Emilio AlzllmOrl!1 (Hon); 14. Naoki Matsudo (Yom); 15. Shohrol Yuzy (Yam); 16. D;rk He;dolf (Apr); 17. Jakub Smrz (Hon); 18. Leon Haslam (Hon); 19. Hector Faubel (Apr); 20. Russell Hollond (Vom). TIme: 39 min. 44.293 sees. Distance: 68.94 miles Average speed: 104.09 mph M.argin of victory: .007 sees. Fastest lap: Marco Melandri, lap 22. 1:34.072 M.oloGP: 1. Valentino Rossi (Hen); 2. Alex Barres (Hon); 3. Tehru Ukawa (Hen): 4. Daijiro Kato (Han); 5. Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Hon); 6. Max Biaggi (Yam); 7. Nobuatsu Aoki (Pro); 8. Olivier Jacque (Yam); 9. Kenny Roberts Jr. (Suz); 10. Jeremy McWilliams (Pro); 1 J. Cerros Cheee (Yam); 12. Sete Melandri takes a well-deserved victory lap.

