Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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ROUND 17 / NOVEMBER 5-7, 2021 AUTODROMO INTERNACIONAL DO ALGARVE / PORTIMAO, PORTUGAL P66 MOTOGP I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Moto2 Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) secured the most important victory of his career at Portimao and will take a 23-point title lead into the final round in Valencia. The Australian got the better of rival and teammate Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Spaniard has to settle for second following an incorrect tire choice. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completed the podium less than a second away from Fernandez. Aron Canet (QuieroCorredor Aspar Team) pipped Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) to fourth as the duo crossed the line 0.005s apart, Beaubier equal- ing his best Moto2 result in fifth. Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) claimed sixth, the rookie beating Jorge Navarro (Termozeta STONER BACK IN THE PADDOCK In Portugal, Casey Stoner made his first return to the MotoGP paddock in years to catch up with old friends and engage in media duties. The two-time MotoGP World Champion was also on hand to offer Ducati teammates Pecco Bagnaia and Jack Miller some advice, after spot- ting for them around the track. After qualifying second, behind team- mate Pecco Bagnaia, Jack Miller said his countryman had advised him how to attack the final sector in a more refined manner, telling him to use some different lines. Miller was suitably impressed. "He gave me some tips of what he saw on the track as to what he spotted," he said. "We'll have to talk to Ducati next year and see if we can get him in the budget to come to a few more races. I think you pay extra attention when someone like that is telling you what he's seeing on track, that's for sure." PETRUCCI'S DAKAR PRACTICE Danilo Petrucci has already started his practice for the Dakar Rally in 2022 after he attended a training event in Dubai prior to the Algarve GP. Petrucci rode in the sand dunes on an off-road KTM with Dakar specialists Sam Sunderland and Toby Price to get up to speed ahead of the event, which kicks off on January 2. "It was completely different to MotoGP because we used our bike from morning to evening," said the Italian. "Also, we always left the hotel at 5-6 a.m., no later than 7 a.m. Then it was too hot. For sure it's very different, and Briefly... Joan Mir (36) stayed with Bagnaia early on but had no answer for the rampaging Ducati man.