Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

[ames Ellison ( 1:37.143); 24. Kurtis Roberts ( 1;37.92 2); 25. Chris Bums (1:38.66 1). MOTOG P: I. Val ntino Ros (Y e si am); 2. Max Biaggi (Hon); 3. Troy Bayliss (Due); 4. Sere Gibemau (Hon); S. t-takor c Tamada (Hon); 6. Alex Barros (Ho n); 7. Shinya Nakano (Kaw); 8. Co lin Edwards (Hon ); 9. Loris Capircss! (Due); 10. No rick Abe (Y am); I I . Alex Hofmann (Kaw); 12. John Hopkins (Suz): 13. Jeremy McWilliams (Apr); 14. Carlos Cbeca (y",,); 15. Neil Hodgson (Due); 16. Gony McCoy (Apr): 17. Gregorio Lavilla (Suz): 18. Nobu Aok i (Pro) ; 19. James Ellison (W e N) . Time : 47 min.. 16.145 sec. Distance: )0 laps. 73.58 miles Average speed: 94.769 mph. Margin of victory : 0.425 sec . MOT OGP WORLD C'SH IP PO INTS STA N DINGS (After 16 of 16 rounds): I. Vale ntino Rossi (304!9Wins); 2. SereGibemau (257/4); 3. Max Biaggi (2 17/ 1); 4. AIel( Barros ( 16S); S. Co lin Edwa rds (157) ; 6. r-tako tc Tama da ( 150); 7. (T IE) Carlos Checa/Nicky Hayden/loris Capirossi (117): 10. Shinya Nakano (8 ] ); I I. Ruben Xaus (77): 12. Marco Meland ri (75); 11. No rick Abe (74); 14. Troy Bayliss (7 1); 15. Alex Hofm ann (5 1); 16. Jo hn Hop kins (45); 17. N eil Hod gson (38); 18. Kenny Robe rts (37); 19. Jer emy McWilliams (26); 20. Shane Byrne (18). 125cc QUAUFYING: t. Andre a Dovmoso ( 1:39.927); 2. Hect or Barbera ( IAO. 146); 3. Jorg e Lo ren zo ( I:40.4 13); 4. Gino Bcrsci ( I:40.46 1); 5. Sergio Gadea ( I:40. 523); 6. Casey Sto ne r (1:40.562); 7. Roberto Loca te lli ( 1:40.57 1); 8. Julian Simon ( 1:40.66 2); 9. Steve Jenkner (1:40.726); 10. Gabor Talmacst (1:40 .909) ; I I. Alvaro Bautista ( 1:40.97 / ); 12. Fabrizio Lai (1:4 1.023); 13. Simone Corsi (1 :4 1.1 16); 14 Pablo N ieto ( 1:4 1.333); I S. Mattia Pasini (1:4 1.473); 16. Lukas Pesek ( IA I.487) ; 17. Thomas Luth i ( 1:4 1.705); 18. Andrea Ballerini ( I :41. 736 ); 19. Dar io Giuse ppe tti ( 1:4 1.766); 20. Mika Kallio ( 1:4 1.88 1); 2 1. Loren zo Zanetti ( 1:42 229); 22. M. m,e He rnand ez (1,42.236); 23. Angel Rodriguez ( I :42.278): H . Nicolas Te ro l (I :42.363); 25. Mirko Giansanti ( IA2.468); 26. Imre Toth ( 1:42.47 1); 27. Stefano Peru gini (I A 2.508 ); 28. Mid 13ele Pirro ( I:42 .647) ; 29. A1eix Espargaro ( I :42.759); 3D. Manue l Manna ( I A2 .949); 3 I. Vesa Kalli ( 1:43.0 19); 32. Gicele Pe llino ( 1:43. 110); 33. Julian o t-hralles ( 1:4 l 444): 34. Enrique Jerez ( 1:43.578 ); 35. Jo rdi Carc hano ( 1:43.594); 36. Michael Ranseder ( / :43.620); 37. Raym ond Schou ten ( I :45.069); 38. Max Sabbatani ( I :45.161 ). 12 5c c GP: I . Hec tor Ba rbe ra (Apr ); 2. Andrea Do vizioso (Hon ); 3. Alvaro Bautista (Apr); 4. Pablo N ieto (Apr); 5. Sergio Gadea (Apr); 6. Robe rto Locat elli (Apr); 1. Gino Borsoi (Apr); 8. Simone Corsi (Hon ); 9. Ga bor Talmacsi (Mal); 10. Steve Je nkner (Apr); I I . Mattia Pasini (Apr); 12. Mirko Giansanti (Apr); 13. Julian Simon (Hon) ; 14. Thomas Luth i (Hon); 15. Fabrizio l..ai (Gil); 16. Michae le Pirro (Apr); 17. Lo renz o Zanetti (Apr); 18. Michael Ranseder (KTM); 19. Julian Miralles (Apr); 20. Gioele Pe llino (Apr); 2 1. Imre To th (Apr); 2 2. Nico las Ter o l (Apr); 23. Vesa Kallio (Apr) ; 24. Aleix Esparga ro (Han ); 25. Manuel He rnandez (Apr); 26 . Enrique Jere z (Hon ); 27. jord i Carcbaoc (Apc). T ime : 40 min.• 45.283 sec . D istance : 24 laps , 59.73 miles Ave ra ge speed: 8 7.934 mp h. Ma rg in of vict ory: 0.761 sec. IlSCC WORLD C'SH IP POINTS STAND INGS (Afte r 16 of 16 rounds): I. Andrea Dcvmcsc (293/ 5 wins); 2. Hector Barbera (20 214); 3. Robe rt o Locatelli (192/2 ); 4. Jorge Lorenz o ( 179/2); 5. Casey Stoner (145/ 1); 6. Pablo N ieto ( 138); 7. Alvaro Bautista (129); 8. Steve Jenkner ( 122); 9. Mirko Giansanti (105); 10. Mike Kallio(86); I I. (TIE) Marco Simooce llVGino Borsoi (79); 13. Simone Co rsi (61); 14.J ulian Simon (60); 15. Mattia Pasin (54); 16. Fabrizio Lal (53); 17. i Gabor Talrnacsi (43); 18. Mike Di Meglio (4 1); 19. (TIE) Sergio GadealAndrea Ballerini (29). 250cc QUALIFYING: I. Dani Ped rosa (1:36.6 37); 2. Sebastian Po rto ( U 6.535); 3. Alex de Angelis ( 1:36.800): 4. Randy de Punier ( U 6.8 13); 5. Ton i Elias (1:36.900) ; 6. Franc o Battaini ( 1:37.07 1); 7. Hirosh i Aoyama ( 1:31. 123); 8. Manuel Poggiali ( I:37.307); 9. Naoki Matsudo ( I:37.446); 10. Chaz Davies ( 1:37.46 1); I I. Alex Debcn ( 1:37.482); 12. David de Gea ( 1:37.944); 13. He cto r Faube l (1:38 .184) ; 14. [akub Smrz (1:38.354); 15. Joan Olive (1:38.38 3); 16. Fons i Nieto (I :38.54 1); 17. Sylvain Guinto li ( I :38.684 ); 18. Roberto RoIfo (1:38.688); 19. Dick Heidolf (1;38.9 16); 20. Arnaud Vincent (1:38.952); 2 1. Alex Baldolini (1:39.02 1); 22. Hugo Marchand ( I:39.590 ); 23. Jo han Stigeleh ( I:39.680 ); 24. Taro Sekiguchi ( 1:39.748 ); 25. Erw an N igon ( 1:39.905); 26. Gregory Leblanc ( 1:40.04 3); 21. Alvaro Molina ( 1:40.329); 28. Frederik Watz (1:40.384); 29. Radom il Reus (1:40.7 12); 30. Hans Smees ( 1:40.9 16); 3 1. [arne Ronzon i ( 1:4 1.369). 250cc GP: I. Dani Ped rosa (Hon ); 2. Ton i Elias (Ho n); 3. Randy de Punier (Apr); 4. Franco Bartaini (Apr); 5. Chaz Davies (Apr); 6. Fons i Nieto (Apr); 7. Roberto Rolfo (Hon ); 8. Naoki Matsudo (Yam); 9. Hect o r Faubel (Apr); 10. Alex Baldolini (Apr) ; I I . David de Gea {Hen]: 12. Arnaud Vincent (Apr); 13. Jakub Smrz (Han) ; 14. Alex Debo n (Hon ): 15.Joan Ol ive (Apr); 16. Alvaro Molina (Apr ); 17. Johan Stigefelt (Apr); 18. Dirk He idolf (Apr); 19. Radom il Rous (Yarn): 20. Grego ry Leblanc (Apr); 2 1. Hans Smees (Apr): 22. Jamo Ronzoni (Apr). TIm e : « min ., 10.176 sec . Distance : 27 laps. 67. 19 miles Ave rage sp eed: 9 1.277 Ma rgin of victory: 8.086 sec . 250cc WORLD C'SHIP PO INTS STANDINGS (Ah er 16 o f 16 rounds) : I. Dani Ped ro sa (3 17/7 wins ); 2. Sebast ian Po rto (256/5): 3. Randy de Puniet (2 11/1); 4. Toni Elias (199/ 1); 5. Alex de Ange lis (147); 6. Hiroshi Aoyama (144); 7. Fonsi N ieto (123); 8. Roberto Rolfe ( 115/1 ): 9. Manuel Poggiali (95/1): 10. Franco Battai ni (9 1): II. Anthony West (88); 12. Alex De bon (81); 13. Chaz Davies (50 ); 14. Sylvain Guintoli (42); 15. Nao ki Matsuda (40); 16. Hugo Marchand (36): 17. Hec to r Faubel (30); 18. Alex Baldclin i (29); 19. Joan O live (26); 20. [akub Smrz (19). I Briefly... , Continued from page 17 company like mine who happen to build a bike every year in such small numbers. They need to be with a factory, one of the support teams , but they 're not . That's what they need . They need a Honda support team. They 're re lucta nt to get their chec kbook out, teams are reluctant to go in that direction I suppose. I don't see any Hondas on a Dunlop , do you?" Roberts said w he n he gets a tire decision, he 'll make the rest of the decisions. Roberts said he wou ldn't be forced into the same situation he had this year again. "Hopefully, again next year, I'll be able to walk away and say we can't com pe te with those tires ." Knowing the y wouldn 't be co mpetitive, Roberts stopped development on a new engine, and this year 's engine isn't competitive and would be less so in 2005 , a year w he n fuel restrict io ns com e into effect. The team tested the KTM V-four and has had talks w ith Ducati, w hich was an option this year. "We'd like to be able to put it o n the race track , the KTM moto r, wo rk that into our system . We see a future in it, but withou t a be tt er t ire com pany at the mom ent , it see ms to be the downfall of the effort . I'd like to say good things, but I can't . I can't lie to anybo dy. I'm not going to. It just doe sn't loo k... I wo uld like to say we 're close. We used to be close w ith Dunlop. It was n't so far away. Th is yea r we've proven that we're a lot farth er away than we all thought we we re ." Robe rts had bee n ru mored to be talking to Red Bull about sponsorship. "We' re talking to eve rybo dy." With Red Bull's link to KTM, it seemed like a natura l fit. "Everybody that Domes up with these natural fits and MV Agusta's a great fit and all this stuff, it's to talk abou t it. Probably you guys fill up papers and stuff. I haven't seen anything th at loo ks like a winning effort materialize yet out of all the scenarios." Th e absolute minimum Roberts nee ds to run the team is 15 million Euros (nea rly $ 19 million U.S.), "Fiftee n-million Euros in toda y's marketpl ace for the coverage of MotoGP nowa days and go ing up is nothing, it's nothing. That 's the minimum I can actu ally run around the racetrack with for a two-rider team. And that's not including the riders . If you're talking abo ut a stra ight cost, we've got X amount of peo ple, X amount of payroll, X amoun t of expenses and X amount of co sts to build the eq uipment. It's real easy to figure out that, No w to do it bett er and do it right is obviously mo re money." On e op tio n is selling the team . "I'd like to sell it is what I'd basically like to do." he said. "Selling the co mpany or the franchise , both , or either one . All along for the last 10 years , that's been the case . If som ebody came up and offered us, I'd say fine. That hasn't happen ed yet. Dunlop should buy it becau se they need to run their own team . Tha t's who nee ds it . I've offered it to them. I'm sure it's under considerat ion." Honda will have seve n bikes o n the MotoGP grid next year. "I wish they 'd buy my tea m, then they could have eight. It's for sale, in case they didn't know." The game of musical seats was d rawing to a close at Valencia, some with guaran teed spots, some rumored. Repsol Honda announced the signingof Nicky Hayden and Max Biaggi on Sunday after the race . Veteran crew chief Erv Kanemoto is expected to join the team. 'Ielefonka MoviStar Honda has Sete Gibe rnau and is expected to pick up Alex Barros. Camel Honda is r umo re d to be getting Troy Bayliss and o ne other ride r, possibly Marco Melandri, who might end up at 'Ielefonica as well. Makoto Tamada is moving to his ow n Honda team with backing by Minolta and Michelin tire s. Y amaha has Valentino Rossi and Colin Edward s. The Tech 3 team may have Fren chman Randy de Puniet and Spaniard Ruben Xaus , depending on w hether he can extricate himself from his d'Antin Ducati contract. Suzuki keeps its current riders , Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hop kins, and may be picking up tob acco sponsorship. Kawasaki's riders Shinya Nakan o and Alex Hofmann have contracts fo r 2005 . The future is unce rtain for th e Roberts ' team and others, includ ing Aprilia, thoug h it' s expec ted they'll co ntinue. Hond a's stra tegy of flooding the grid again isn't likely to wo rk, and the age of their riders , even if they're a sto p-gap meas ure , has to be a concern. In 2005 , Biaggi w ill be 34, Gibernau 32, Barr os 34 and Tamada 28. Bayliss, who shou ld join Came l Hond a, will be 36. At 24, Nicky Hayden is the youngster on th e team and Marco Melandri, who will be 23 midseason 2005, wou ld be even younger. It's clear Honda's aware of this. Ten Kate Honda's Chris Ver meulen, w ho t urns 23 in mid-June , is o n Honda's fast track to MotoGp, like ly moving up fro m World Superbike in 2006. Hond a has also signed 20-year-o ld Italian rising star Michel Fabrizio to a th ree-year contract , with his first year in World Supersport. Suzuki's Kenny Roberts Jr, withdrew fro m the Valencia Gp, but not before impressing his new boss. Roberts took the unusual step of throwing on a qualify tire in Friday morning ing's free practice to set the faste st time . Afterward , he announ ced that lingering elbow injuries wo uldn't allow him to co ntinue and he was re placed by test rider Grego rio Lavilla. Though som e scoffed at Roberts ' Friday time , it stood up as fourth overa ll in a ve ry tight final qualifying gr id. "This is an expe rience I've never had - coming to a race without know ing if I'd be stro ng eno ugh," Roberts said. "Conside ring where we 're at in the seaso n, the circumstances dictated the decision to withdraw from the race. The concept was to try to get closer as th e season ends, to get a better base for next year. But in the circumstances, I was not able to do that. The riding part this morn ing was the same as normal. The arm feels good and pain free, but after four o r five lap s, I didn't have the strengt h necessary to co ntro l the bike . Y do n't recognize how much ou strengt h you need , es pecially under braking, until you don't have it. Ten days ago, I hadn't even done a pushup. I started then with gym training, but time wasn't on our side ." Roberts said it was do ubly disappo inting beca use it was longtime tea m manager Garry Taylor 's last race . "Kenny rem inded us this mornin g of how fast he can be when he's fully fit," Taylor said. "But desp ite Herculean efforts to get www.cycienEWs.com ready for this race, he found he was lacking the strength and endurance he needs to go race distance ." Brian Pa rriott won a BMW Z4 2.2 by finishing second in the final BMW Motorrad Boxer Cup 2004 series , with a sixth-place finish in the final race at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. Ridingthe Auto Sports Busquets BMW R I 100 S, Parriott began the season with a win and was no wo rse than fifth until the final race . He had finished second in the previous ro und at Brno in the Czech Republic. Qualifying second, Parriott was in contention for the car and was running seco nd early on befor e dropping to fifth. "I'm so relieved that it's over, but I knew I could do it, es pecially after such a good qualifying time ," he said after winning the car. The championship went to Austrian Thomas Hinterreiter, w ho had clinched it at Brno. Today's race went to Team Reseau France's Gw en Gabb iani over BMW Motorrad Belgium's Sebastien Legrelle and Parriott's tea mmat e, Spaniard Jose Nion, the hometown hero. Reps ol Hond a's Nicky Hayden needs treatmen t o n his injured left knee, but how much and when it should be done is up in the air. "I'm supposed to go to the doctor Wednesday, but we 're testing." Hayden said. "I'llfind out if maybe a litt le bit of fixing and maybe if I just too k a little time off it woul d get better. I've been racing eve ry we ek en d. I've had two weeks off, so I havenit really gave it much time, gave it a good fair chance to hea l up." Hayden is testing Michelin tire s Monday, Wed nesday, Thursday and then twice at the end of the month in Spain, two days at Jerez and tw o days in Valencia. Hayde n's chief mechanic is also up in the air. Ho nda was hop ing to hire Stuart Shenton, th e Suzuki crew chief who worked with Kevin Schwantz and now works with John Hop kins. But Shenton decided to stay with Suzuki. "We actua lly do n't know [who the crew chief will bel," Hayden said. "T hey were talking to a few guys for chief mechanic and it fell through. I do n't know, I th ink it's such a big piece that I definitely really don't want to overlook that , area . It's a big piece of the puzzle. I know we've got the bike and I know I can do it - I just have to get the right peo ple to get past that. I'm hung right about fourth or whatever now." Erv Kan emoto is expected to oversee the Repsol Honda team of Hayden and Max Biaggi. Total attendan ce for the weekend was 2 11,468 broken down as follows : 22,4 11 on Friday; 67,023 o n Saturday; and 122,034 on Sunday. A se nior Hond a official said Honda wou ld run six bikes in 2005 , not seven , as many have suggest ed. Though he wouldn't confirm th e lineup , the od d o ne out wo uld be a second bike on the Cam el Honda team , where Troy Bayliss is ex pected to land. Makoto Tamada is expected to race a Pramac Hon da, with backing from Japanese imaging company Minolta. Tamada has said he wants to use the same tires as Rossi, so expect to see him on Michelins. Bridgestone's co ntract with HRC ended this year, CYCLE NEWS • NOVEMBER 10, 200 4 19

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