Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

MOTOGP _. - Round 8 July 1 8 , 2 0 0 4 World Championship Road Race S er ies r: . __ ....__.... _ - - - - - - - - - ---I Biaggi Breaks Through 1 5 CC GRAND P R IX 2 The t ight t rack kept the pack u p clo se fo r t he first half of the ra ce , an d o n lap e ight there were still 13 in the leading group, w ith Sim o ne Sa nna falling out o f t he m id dle of it . The yellow flags d id for two of t he m : Marco Simoncelli, running up fro nt , was given a rid e -t hro ugh penalty fo r o ve rtaking u nde r the ye llo ws, a nd a litt le later lo cal he ro Steve Jenkner su ffered a s imilar fat e . It was ha lf-distance before t h ree riders broke away, with Nieto slip ping through into th e lead on lap 22 , w hen Ba rbe ra slowed br ie fly. T his helped Locatelli - a 2.4-seco nd ga p clo sing to 1.2 seconds righ t there, and giving him a closer target to w o rk o n. Barbera regai ned the lead, but t he fo urth fo rce was clos ing fast , an d w ith three laps left Locat elli had caught and passed them all. A hectic las t lap saw Barbe ra move from fourth t o second, a nd N ie to a ll but pushed Dovizioso onto the grass as they dashed to the finish line. The p ursuit pack, no w numbering four a fter Youichi Ui crashed out w ith four la p s t o go, closed r ight up in the last lap as t he le a de rs tripp e d o ve r o ne an other. By t ha t po int , Mika Kallio had fo rce d his KTM to t he front of it , headi ng Lo re nzo (D e rbi) a nd the Ap rilias of Alva ro Ba ut ist a a nd Mir ko G iansa nti by inc hes . T he first eig ht crossed th e line within 1.4 se conds; a lm o st 10 seco nds away Julia n Simon (H ond a) was ninth, with pe nalty vict im s Simoncell i a nd Jenkner 10t h and I I th , respectively. Dovizloso 's points lead s h ra n k to seve n , 138 points to Locat e lli's 131 , w ith Bar bera two points behind, d own to th ird . Nonstarter C as e y Stoner has 104 ; Pabl o eN N ieto 88. GERMAN GRAND PRIX SACHSENRING, GERMANY RESULTS: JULY 18, 2004 MOTO GP QUALIFYING, I. Max Biaggi ( 1:2 2.756); 2. Valentino Rossi ( 1:2 2.840 ); 3. Kenny Roberts Jr. ( I:2 2.96 1); 18 4. Sete Gibemau (1:22 .969) ; S. Shinya Nakano (1:2 3.009) ; 6 . Alex Barros ( 1:2l . IS<4); 7. Carlos C heca ( 1:23.336); 8 . Troy Bayliss ( 1:23.372): 9 . N k ky Hayden (1:23.453): 10. Lori, Capirossi (I :23.475); 11. Colin Edwards ( I:2 3.58 3); 12.John HoplU'" (1:23.622 ); 13. Makota Tamada (1:23.623 ); 14. t-tarcc Melandri ( 1:23.692) ; 15. Norick Abe ( 1:14 .15 1): 16 . Alex Hofmann ( 1:24. 172) ; 17. Jeremy McWilliams ( 1:24.322); lB. Ruben Xaus ( 1:24.377); 19. NeH Hodgwn ( 1:14 .599); 20 . Ncbuatsu Ao ki ( 1:25 .0 3B); 21. Miche l FabrizK>( 1:25 .3 10); 22 . Kerns Roberts ( 1:25 .4 7B); 23 . Shane Byrne (1:25 .6 1-4); 2-4 . Chris Bum s ( 1:26 .66 5). MO TOGP: I. Max Blaggi (Han) ; 2. A)ex Barros (Han); 3. Nkky Hayden (Hon); ~ . Valentino Rossi (Yam); 5. Colin Edwards (Han); 6. Makoto Tamada (Hen) ; 7. Shinya Nakano (Kaw); B. Kenny Roberts J' . (Su, ): 9. John Hopk '" (Sul ); 10. Alex Hofman n (Kaw); II . Ruben Xaus (Due) ; 12. Jeremy McWilliams (Apr); 13. Neil Hodgson (Due) ; I ~ . Shane Byrne (Apo-); 15. Mkhel Fabri , io (WCM) ; 16. Chris Burns (WC M). Ti m e : 42 rnin ., 23 .28 7 sec . Distance : 68 .28 miles . 30 laps Ave rag e speed: 96 .65 mph Ma rg in of victory: .319 sec. Fastest lap : Alex Barros. I :2~ .056 , lap 15 WORLD C'SHI P POINTS STANDINGS (Alc.< B 01 I " rounds): I. Valentino Rossi (139/4 wins) ; 2. Max Biaggi ( 138/ 1 win); 3. Sete Gibemau (126/2 wins ); 4. Alex Barros (79) ; 5. Colin Edwards (75 ); 6 . Nicky Hayden (70); 7. Carlos Checa (62); 8 . Marco Meland ri (5 7); 9 . loris Capirossi (55); 10. Mako t o Tamada (5~1I win ); I I. (T IE) Ruben XauslNorid< Abe (4 1); 13. Shinya Nakano (36); 14. Kenny Roberts Jr. (29); 15. Ale x Ho fman n (24); 16. Troy Bayliss (2 3): 17. Neil Hodgron ( IB); lB. John Hopki'" ( 14): 19. Shane Byrne (12); 20 . Jeremy McWilliams ( 10). 2S 0 QUALI FYING: I. Sebastian Porte (1:25.0 7B): 2. Alex De Angeli' ( 1:25.236): 3. Roberto Ro~o ( 1:25.386) ; 4. Randy De Punier ( I:25.5 35); 5. Daniel Pedrosa (I :25.6 33); 6. Manuel Pogg;ali ( 1:25.652); 7. Toni EI'" ( 1:25. 7 19); B. Forn i Nieto ( 1:25. 783); 9. Naoki Matsudo ( 1:26 . 195); 10. Franc o Bartal nl (1:26 .256) ; II. Sylvain Gu intol i ( 1:26 .260) ; 12. Hiroshi Aoyama ( 1:26 .300 ); 13. Alex Debon (1:26.35 3); 104 . Anthony We., ( 1:26.40 5); 15. Dirl< Heidolf ( 1:26.5 11); 16. Joan Olive ( 1:26. 530); 17. C haz Davies ( 1:26 .7 14); lB. Alex Baldolini ( 1:26 .720 ); 19. KJaus Nobles ( 1:26.795); 20 . Hugo r-tarchand ( I:2 7. 133) : 21. Jakub Sm", ( I:2 7. 180 ): 22. Taro Sekiguchi ( 1:27.40 3); 2 3. Erwan N igon ( 1:27.66 3); H. Eric Bataille ( I:27. 73 1); 25 . Arnaud Vincent (I :2 7.752); 26. Jo han Stigefelt ( 1:27.845 ); 2 7. Grego ry Lefort ( 1:29.1904); 28 . Max Sabbatani (1:29.384 ). 1 50 G P: I. Daniel Pedrosa (Han); 2. Sebastian Porto (Apr) ; 3. Alex De Ange lis (Apr) ; 04. Hiro shi Aoyama (Han); 5. Randy De Puniet (Apr); 6 . Roberto Rolfo (Han ); 7. Anthony West (Apr ); 8 . Fens! Nieto (Ap r) ; 9 . Franco Battain i (Apr) : 10. Sylvain Gu intol i (Ap r); II. Alex Debao (Han); 12. Chaz Davies (Apo-); 13. Joan Ol ive (Ap,) ; 14. Eric Bataille (Hon ): 15. Jakub Smrz (Han); 16. Naoki Matsuda (Yam); 17. Taro Sekiguchi (Y ; 18 . Dirk He ido tf (Apr) ; 19. Erwan Nigon am) (Yam 20 . Johan 5tigerelt (Apo-); 21. Klaus Nohles (Hon): 22 . ); Toni Elias (Han) . Time: 41 min., 37 .239 sec. D istan ce : 66 m iles. 29 laps Average speed: 95 .15 mph Marg in o f victory: 04 .279 sec. Fas t e st lap: Sebastian Porto. I:25 .118, Iap-4 2S 0 WORLD C 'S HI P PO INTS STAND IN GS (Alter 8 o f 16 rounds): I . Dan iel Pedrosa (155/3 wins ); 2. Randy De Puniet ( 130/ 1 win ); 3. Sebastian Porto ( 10812 wins ): 04. Toni EI'" (86 ); 5. Fon _ Nieto (B3); 6 . Alex De Ange l. (80) ; 7. Roberto Rolfo (6 7/ 1 win ): 8 . Hiros hi Aoyama(fA ); 9 . Manue l Poggiali (63/1 win); 10. Anthony West (55) . 11 5 QUALI FYING : I. Andrea Dovizioso ( I:27.8 36); 2. Hector Barbera ( 1:2 7.8 70); 3. Steve Jenkner ( 1:27.88 1); 4 . Mirko Giansanti (1:28.0 30); 5. Pablo N ieto ( 1:28.06 1); 6. Marco Simoocell i (1:28 .106 ); 7. Julian Simon ( 1:28 .202); 8 . Youichi Ui ( 1:28. 333 ); 9 . Gino Borso i ( 1:28 .404 ); 10. Roberto Locatelli (1 :28 .4~8 ); II. Mika Kallio (1:28.542); 12. )o ,&e Lorenzo ( 1:2B.577) : 13. Lukas Pesek ( 1:28 88 2); 14. JULY 28, 2004 • CYCLE NEWS Nothing much had changed at the Sachsenring since last year· not the swoopy tra ck w ith its succession of low -speed corners, nor the very close qualifyingtime s, the first 14 ride rs with in the same second. Nor the name at the top of the list at the end of qualifying. lt was Max Biaggi, claiming his first pole of the seaso n. The differen ce was the speeds - Biaggi was a fullsecond faster than hIS own pole time last year, after solid progress over two dry and increasingly hot days. "It's a fantastic feeling to be on pole:' he said. "Io tell the truth, even when I was ninth yesterday I was confident, because I knew we could better the setup. Now I feel much more comfortable with the front in the fast and bumpy comers." As he observed, starting position can be vital at the shortest (though not quite slowest) trac k of the year, where overtaking is difficult. Thus Valentino Rossi was equally happy to be second. fast on both practice days. and mighl even have been on pole . on a real Yamaha track . "1made one little mistake at the last comer, and lost some time . It's so close, and I expect a big battle at the fro nt," he said. "We've worked hard and solved some problems with the rear, but for me Max has slighlly better rhythm than me here. but I hope to have a good battle with him: ' adding : "The Yamaha is quite difficult to slide here with the wide nres - it feels wild. I think I need a lion tamer." last man on the front row was Kenny Roberts Jr., his second time there in two races, though he was on pole at the last one. Happy with machine improvements with Suzuki's revised firing interval engine and the ever-better Bridgestone tires , he still lacks top speed - clocking 277 .3 krrvh, 18th fastest , compared with Biaggi's289.4 . "We have a lot of good guys behind us. so I need the best start I can, and follow the leader, as you do here," he said. They'd managed to cut chatter problems from day one, but he . too, might have been quicker but for a fast-lap slip, on the grass at 225knv'h on the back straight. "It was sideways. and when I came back , it was trying to get out from underneath me , so I kinda gave up on lhat lap - just finished off the last two corners then saw I was third -fastest." Sete Gibernau was fast throughout. riding confidently and very hard , with an obviously good race rhythm. His best lap was still just two-tenths off pole , "I'd have liked the front row, but we're very close, and I have done endurance testing. but in the aftemoon a couple of things cropped up that set our plans back," Gibemau said. "We sorted them out, but l didn't get the lap time I wanted." Alongside him. Shinya Nakano's fifth equaled his and Kawasaki's season's best. Taking his run on qualifyingtires early, he 'd actually been on pole with 10 minutes to go . This followed chatter and engine problems on the first day. I'm much happier today, and on my fast lap I was able to stay with Rossi, but more irnportantly I've done 24 laps on a race tire, with very consistent times ." he said. Alex Barros was next. only .25 of a second off pole, and also complaining of traffic spoiling his best lap. His new exhausts were designed to make the engine better lower in the rev range . but the effect was clearly not very pronounced. Carlos Checa led row three from Troy Bayliss. now with a pair of Twin-Pulse bikes and making the most of them; a concerned Nicky Hayden was alongside, one of only four riders not to improve on day two after running second the previous day. "The front seems to be push ing a lot , and it isn't givingme much confidence," Hayden said. "We tried a load of stuff, but it seems to be getting worse as the heat increases." Loris Capirossi headed row four from Colin Edwards and bee-stingvictimJohn Hopkins . Makato Tamada led the next. The Riowinner had been ready for another front-row challenge. but he slipped off at the bottom of the hill. unhurt . Marco Melandri was alongside, allat sea in a search for stabilityand then bamboozled by a qualifying-tire mismatch . Norick Abe was next to him. Then came Andy Hofmann, also suffering a series of Kawasaki engine problems, final-session crasher Jeremy McWilliams, and Ruben Xaus ; then Neil Hodgson, Aoki, Fabrizio and the rest. the Protons battling out the final positions with fellow Dunlop users WCM and track novice Shakey Byrne. Simone Coni ( 1:2B.94 2); 15. Fabrtnc I..:U (1:2B.986) ; 16 . AJv..-o Bautista ( I:2B.99 4); 17. Se.-g;oGadea(I :29.0 55); 18. Gioele Pellino ( I:29. 2 17); 19. Ga.l;:x)r Talmacsi ( I:29.273 ); 20 . Mike De Meglio ( 1:29 .366) ; 2 1. 5imone Sanna ( 1:29.4 16); . 22 . Imre Toth ( 1:29.552); 23. Mattia Pasini ( 1:29 .568 ); 2-4 Robbin Harms ( 1:29.693); 25 . Ste fano Perugin i ( 1:29.9040); 26 . Thomas Luthi ( 1:30.123); 27. vesa K.alho ( 1:30.4 39); 28. Angel Rodrigue' ( 1:30 .4 75): 29 . Patrick Unger ( 1:30 .4 76); 30 . Jorn i C=hano ( 1:30.553); 3 1. Raymond Schouten ( I :30.909 ); 32 . Manuel Mickan ( I :3 1.09 6); n . Georg Froh lich ( 1:3 1.280); H . Julian Miralles ( 1:3 1.376); 35 . Vadav Bittman ( I :3 1.388 ); 36 . Manuel Manna ( 1:3 1.790) . 115 GP: I. Roberto Locatelli (Apr) : 2. Hector Barbera (Apr ); 3. Pablo Nieto (Apr ); 4. Andrea Dovizioso (Han); 5. Mika Kallio (KTM); 6 . Jorge Lorenzo (Der); 7. Alvaro Bautista (Apr); 8 . Mirko Giansan ti (Apr) ; 9. Julian Simon (Han); 10. Marco Simoncelli (Apr); II . Steve Jenkner (Apr); 12. Simon Corsi (Hon ); 13. Gtcele Pe llino (Apr ); 14. Sergio Gadea (Apr); 15. Stefano Perugin I (Gil); 16. Gabor Talmacst (Mal); 17. Lukas Pe se k (Han); 18. Thomas Luth i (Hon); 19. Robbin Harms (Han); 20 . Matt ia Paslni (Apr) ; 2 1. Patrick 40t h Anniversary I Unger (Apr) ; 22 . Vesa Kallio (Apr) ; 23 . George Frohlich (Hon ); 24 . [crd i Carcbaoo (Apo-); 25 . Yadav Bittman (Hon): 26 . Manuel Manna (Mal); 27 . Man ue l Mickan (Han) . Time : 40 m in.. 3.511 sec . D istan ce : 61.45 miles, 27 laps Average speed: 92 .04 mph Ma rg in o f victory: .16 5 sec. Fastes t lap : Hector Barbera. 1:2 7.680 . lap 3 125 WORLD C' S H IP POINTS STANDI NGS (After 8 of 16 rounds): I. Andr ea Dovtz ioso ( 13812 wins); 2. Roberto Locatelli (l 3 1n win); 3. Hector Barbera ( 129/2 wi ns): 04. Casey Stoner ( 104) : 5. Pablo Nieto (88) ; 6 . Mirko Giansanti (7 1); 7. Jo rge lorenzo (6811 win ); 8 . Steve Jenkner (6 3); 9 . Marco Simoncelli (5911 win ); 10. (T IE) Mika Kallio/Alvaro Bautista (040). UPCOMING ROUNDS: Round 9: Don;ngloll, England, Ju~ 25 Round 10: Brno, Czech Republic, August 22

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