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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128217
Ceechlnello (66); J. Steve Jenkner (60):
4.
Andre~
DovfzioSO (54); 5. Stefano
Perugini (45): 6. Youchl Ui (41); 7
(TIE) Mirko Giansanti/Pablo Nieto (JI);
9. Casey Stoner (2.9): 10. Alex De
Angelis (26): II, (TIE) Thomas
Luthi/Masua
Az-uma/Glno
BorsoilHeetor Barbera (18): 15. Mika
Kallio (14): 16. Simone Corsi (8); 17.
Amaud Vincent (4): 18. Mox $abbatanl
(3): 19. (TIE) Gabor Talmacsl/Marco
Simoncelli (2).
250 QUALIFYING: I. Manuel
Poggiali (I ;39.229); 2. Franco Battoinl
(I:J9.2J4): J. Randy de Puniet
(I :J9.:'l41); 4. Fonsl Nieto (1 :39.570);
5. Toni Elias (I :J9.802): 6. s"bastian
Porto (1:39.936); 7. Sylvain Gufntoli
(1:40.835): 8. Naoki Matsudo
(1:40.938): 9. Roberto Rollo
(1 :41.0D): 10. Anthony West
(1:41.168); 11. Erwan )'!igon
(1 :41.275): 12. HU90 Marchand
(1:4l.447): 13. Joan Olive (1:41.609):
14. Johan Stfgefelt (1;41.642): 15.
Hector Faubel (1:41.767); 16. Chaz
(58); 3. (TIE) Randy De ?unlet/Roberto Rolfo (54); 5.
Fonsl Nieto (41); 6. Sebastien Porto (36); 7. Naokl
Davies (l :41.890); 17. Alex Deban
Matsuda (33): 8. Franco Btlttaini (32); 9. Anthony
(1:41.934): 18. Eric Bataille
(1:41.942):
19. Dirk Heidolf
(1:41.980): 20. Jakob Smrz
(1:42.109): 21. Jaroslav Hules
(1 :42.199); 22. Christian Gemme!
(I :42.355):
23. Alex Baldolini
(1 :42.827): 24. Hank vd Lagemaat
(l :44.1 80): 25. Samuel Aubry
(1:45.613).
250 GP: 1. Toni Elias (Apr): 2.
Randy De Puniet (Apr); 3. Roberto
Rolfo (Hon); 4. Fonsi Nieto (Apr); 5.
Naak; Matsuda (Yam); 6. Sylvain
Sabbatani (Apr); 19. Emilio Alzamora (Der); 20.
Julian Simon (Mal); 21. Christopher Martin (Apr); 22.
Peler Lenart (Hon); 23. Imre Toth (Hon): 24. Leon
Camier (Hon); 25. Jimmy Petit (Hon).
Time: 41 min., 58.500 sec.
Distance: 24 laps, 62.352 miles
15. Eric BataUle (Hon); 16. Jaroslav Hules (Yam):
17. Erwan Nigan (Apr); 18. Franco Battaini (Apr);
19. Jacob Smn (Hon); 20. Henk vd Lagemaat (Hon).
TIme: 43 min., 55.538 sec.
Average speed: 89.108 mph
Margin of victory: 2.337 sec.
125 WORLD C'SHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 4
of 16 rounds): 1. Dani Pedrosa
Gulntoli (Apr); 7. Anthony West (Apr):
8. Alex Debon (Hon); 9. Christian
Gemmel (Hon): 10. Joan Olive (Apr); II.
Hector Faubel (Apr); 12. Johan Stlgefell (Apr):
13. Alex Baldolinl (Apr): 14. Hugo Marchand (Apr);
(71): 2. Lucio
Distance: 26 laps, 67.548 miles
Average speed: 92.247 mph
Margin of victory: 3.749 sec.
250 WORLD C'SHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 4
of 16 rounds): 1. Manuel PogglaU (63); 2. Toni Elies
BRIEFLY•••
Seeking a refuge from the noise of the paddock. Suzuki's Kenny
Roberts Jr. upgraded his living quarters. trading in the space of
a pop·out trailer for the quiet of a custom-built truck. Unique in a
paddock filled with luxury motorhomes and trailers. the imposing
black rig looks more like a transporter than a domicile. "It wasn't
for the glamour; it's for the function." Roberts Jr. said. "It's perfect for me and Rochelle." Roberts Jr. and his wife. Rochelle.
found it increasingly difficult to sleep with the noise of scooters
flitting about at all hours. The final straw came at last year's final
GP at Valencia. "It gol unbelievable for me." Roberts Jr. said. So
he designed the living quarters to be built on a Renault truck
frame at a facility in England. He took delivery in Le Mans. "The
rooms are soundproofed from each other." Roberts said of the
smallish living quarters. which are separated from the truck's cab.
"I built it like my houseboat, designed it on my computer." You
enter the truck into a galley kitchen, fitted with IKEA cabinetry
along with a complement of appliances. including a washer/dryer.
Just behind is a full bathroom with a whirlpool-equipped bathtub.
Then there's the living room. a leather loveseat facing the media
center. The bedroom is in the back. Not only is the truck soundproofed. but each room is isolated from the other. "If those cheap
ones were quieter, this never would have happened," Roberts Jr.
said. "Friday was the first time I woke up at the track with an
alarm clock at 7;30. I never needed an alarm clock before. Now I
hate the alarm clock. "
A number of teams including Suzuki, Proton Team KR. and Yamaha were staying on to test at Le Mans the day after the race.
The Alice Aprilla team was heading off for the Michelin test track
at Le Doux. near the company's headquarters. It's a track where
Aprilia's Colin Edwards has as many laps as any active racer.
Edwards heads north to the Michelin test track. where he hopes
to regain his confidence. "We're going to Ladoux Tuesday and
Wednesday for a Michelin test and start from scratch to get some
confidence back in the thing." Edwards said. "It's not the first
time that I've lost confidence In anything. It's easy to get back.
You've just got to work with it."
Suzuki's Kenny Roberts Jr said he had a new engine for the
French Grand Pnx at Le Mans. but it wasn't going to solve Ihe
team's problems. "I think we have an engine 10 test here."
Roberts Jr. began at a pre-race press conference before adding.
"I'm not sure I can say Okay. it's a new engine, of course. It's
not. I don't think performancewise, it's not a step. Basically. when
we roll off the Ihrottle. that's a problem. and our bike is a little bit
slow on top speed because entering the corner is a problem. It's
a step in that way. We're not going to be there on Sunday fighting
with Valentino [Rossil or Max [Biaggi] or these guys or Sete
(Gibernaul. It may be in the way the next engines are coming in
the next two or three months, for raw horsepower is what we're
trying. will be maybe in this direction." Roberts said that what
Ducati had done in a very short time was a harsh lesson for Suzuki. though he couldn't offer an opinion about what they're like to
race against. "On the track you have to ask these guys." Roberts
Jr. said. deferring to Rossi and Biaggi. "because I never see." He
went on to say, "To me, expectations are way above what I
believe they can make. It means for us we need a lot more
West (30); 10. Sylvain Guintoli (:21); 11. (TIE)
Danl Pedrosa (31 __ the 125cc Grand
Pri"" Youichl Ui 1411_ sixth Mid
Andrea ~ (34J ended up third.
Hiroshi Aoyama/Alex Deboo (20): 13. Yuki
Takahashi (16): 14. Joan Olive (15): 15. (TIE) Alex
Baldolini/Heetor Faubel (10): 17. Christlan Gemmel
(9); 18. Johan Stigefelt (8); 19. (TIE) Tekkyu
Kayo/Eric Bat