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Cycle News 2025 Issue 33 August 19

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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"I was obviously eager to win here," Marc said. "When on Thursday I got asked what the goal at this track was, I said that, with the red bike, it was the win, as this is the bike against which I had lost many times before at this track. I knew that Marco [Bezzecchi] and Pecco [Bagnaia] would be my main op - ponents over the long distance, as Alex had to serve a long-lap penalty, from which it's hard to bounce back. We had already noticed that, among all Ducati riders, Fermin [Aldeguer] was the one who could manage tire wear the best, so when I saw his name on the pit board, I knew I had to start pushing again, and we finished with a good pace." Just over 3.4 seconds behind Bezzecchi, Acosta was fourth, with Bastianini recovering to fifth. Mir rose impressively to of the following lap. And after the Aprilia's failed response through the chicane, it was clear his victory charge was done. Soon, he was on the defen - sive again as Aldeguer started lapping half a second faster than the top two. By lap 24, he had eradicated the two-second gap to pass Bezzecchi at turn three. And after initially shaving tenths off Marc's lead, the champion - ship leader responded by win- ning by eight-tenths of a second. his bike was snaking a bit, that meant his tire started to drop, and I re-attacked," he said. That wasn't the only duel of interest. As Marc homed in on the leader once again, Acosta and Aldeguer were beginning to hound Bagnaia. As the ailing Ital - ian's pace dropped, Acosta made a tough but fair move at turn nine on lap 18, forcing the second fac - tory Ducati onto the green. Now Aldeguer was fourth. And four corners later, he was third, thanks to a deft move at turn 2b. It soon became clear that third was not the height of his ambitions. The top two started losing time in their own battle. As Bez - zecchi encountered an unnamed technical issue, Marc first at- tacked on the run down to turn four on lap 20. But the Italian was up for the fight, returning to the front with a fine pass at turn six. Marc tried again at the start ROUND 13 / AUGUST 15-17, 2025 RED BULL RING / SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA ROAD RACE I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP P84 Enea Bastianini (23) throws the RC16 sideways in his battle with Alex Marquez (73), Pedro Acosta (37), Brad Binder and Raul Fernandez. The Italian would come home seventh on Sunday. Marc Marquez (center) is so far in front points-wise, the title is now a mere formality, but everyone was talking about Aldeguer (left), who put in the ride of the race. It was another podium for Bez in third.

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