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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128331
MOTOGP
1 Round
I
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gap. and by lap seven not only he but also
Elias caught Porto. By now Pedrosa had
picked his way rapidly through the midfield and the faster men alike and was up
to fourth ahead of de Angelis. A little way
back, West had managed to get ahead of
a battle with Nieto, Rolfoand Poggiali and
had some clear air.
One lap later, and Pedrosa was third,
the first five close together as they passed
half distance .
Now Porto kicked again, and this time
his escape bid worked. On lap II he was
eight-tenths clear; he gained another second next time around, with Pedrosa disputing second with Elias, and de Angelis
now dropping off the back of the group.
With three laps to go, Porto had 2.S
seconds. and de Puniet was having his last
moments with the two young Spanish
battlers. He had lost touch by the finish.
when Pedrosa had finally gotten the better of Elias.
De Puniet was four seconds back, de
Angelis another five behind him, then
West a similar distance behind.
Nieto and Rolfo had been battling over
seventh, but Poggiali was holding a watch ing brief close behind. and he nipped past
both of them on the last lap. Aoyama's
factory Honda was a distant tenth, narrowly ahead of Baldolini and Debon.
Matsudo, Batailleand Davies took the last
points.
Pedrosa set a new lap record on the
penultimate lap while escaping from Elias.
De Puniet's points lead is now just one,
I I I to Pedrosa's I 10. Porto has 88, Elias
70, and Fonsi Nieto 64.
I25CC GRAND P R IX
Watery sunshine, as Casey Stoner too k
off in the lead, displaced before the end of
the lap by Locatelli. The pack was close,
Lorenzo finishing the first lap in eighth
position but soo n working his way forward as Locatelli and Stoner opened up a
small lead.
By the end of lap four Lorenzo was
third and with the leaders soon afterwa rd. At this stage . the next gaggle including Kallio (KTM) and Jenkner
(Aprilia). with Barbera dropping off the
18
6
June 26, 2004
JULY 7, 2004 • CYCLE NEWS
back - was led by Dovizioso. As the race
passed half distance , he had pulled the
best of them up to make a six-strong
leading group.
Lorenzo led for the first time on lap
ten, but he couldn't get away from his
nearest rivals, even though Kallio and
Jenkner were losing touch, the former to
pull off and retire before the finish .
The Spaniard led onto the final lap. giving way to Dovizioso briefly before the
fireworks began in earnest, the lead
changing hands at least twice in a highly
fraught struggle through the sweepers.
But it was Lorenzo who had the
strength and Dovizioso who got the
worst of the confusion. with Loczatelli
and Stoner inches behind for the rostrum
positions.
Jenkner was a lone fifth, with Barbera
prevailing over Simoncelli, Nieto and
Giantsani for sixth.
Double-winner Dovizioso's points lead
was cut. 109 points to Locatelli's 93.
Barbera and Stoner have 84 apiece. with
Nieto fifth on 63.
eN
CIRCUIT VAN DRE NTH E
ASSEN, HOLlAND
RESULTS: JUNE 26,
2004
(ROUND
6)
HOTOGP QUALIFYING : I. Valentino Ross i
( 1,58.7S8); 2. Carlo> Cbeca ("59.440); 3. Set. G,bemau
( I :59 .90 3); 4. Marco Meland '; (2:00 .7204); 5 . Shinya N akano
(2,00.75 5): 6. Ale< Berre s (1:00.977); 7. Kenny Robem J'.
(2,0 1.182): 8. r-takc tc Tanuda (1:0 1.212): 9. Ruben Xa us
(2:0 1.3 12); IO.Joh n Hopk ins (2:01.593); II. Alex Hofmann
(2:0 1.6 17); 12. Max Biaggi (2:0 1.6 35); 13. Colin Edwards
(2:0 1.64 2); '''' . Troy Bayiiss (2:0 1.70 7); IS. l o ris Cap iross i
(2,02 .029): 16. N;d