Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

vast improvement on last year. Capirossi said he tried to go with the leaders, but the tires wouldn't allow it, "lthink, in my opinion, is coming a real interesting season for us, because the whole package bike and tire workinS real- ly well and Bridgestone make the really great lob during the winter and in this track the tire working so good. I am real- ly happy abo'rt that,'' Capirossi said. "We only lost time in the race at the slow hairpin. ' Gibernau said afrer finishing his flrst race for Ducati. "Right there I was getting a lot of chatter at the front of mI Desmosedici, and in this one corner I lost half a second." Stoner admitted that when the fuel load got lighter he wasn't able to up the pace, which is when Rossi came by. An earlier flu returned and leg cramps struck and his time at the front was waning. "When Valentino came past for the lead, I wasn't surprised," he said. "lt was only a matter of time and over the second half of the race I had a good battle with Loris and Gibernau." Melandri, Pedrosa, and Edwards were together until the middle of the race when the Texan slowly faded from sev- enth to ninth. The tirst five laps had been fine and he thought he'd solved the front- end vibration on the M I . Then the front end started to skate and the more he pushed, the worse it got. "l had to ride slower and slowel" he said, Then it was down to Melandri and Pedrosa for sixth, both riders dodging Hopkins weeping Suzuki. Pedrosa first passed Melandri on the l3th lap, losing it on the next lap, and then taking it back for good on lap 16. "My bike was really fast and Icould overEke him, but he was braking so late!'' Ped rosa said . " l'm not angry with the result, but I'm upset because today I lost a good opportunity to be batding at the front," Elias was next and well removed from the baftle for sixth. He, too, was slowed by the oil mist, which dropped him fur- ther back- "lYy visor was covered in oil and after losing contact with the lead group it became a really hard race for me,'' he said. Behind Edwards, Roberts lr. fended off Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano. Robens lr. moved steadily through the field from a t4th place after getting caught up in the chaos of the early laps in the rear, only to be slowed by Hopkins oil. "l thought the thing was goinS to blow up," Robens said. ''lt was puking oil on the side. but he was on a different line than us, but it wasn't so bad. So I lost four or five seconds there to that second group. [Carlos] Checa, Chris [Vermeulen] and fShinya] Nakano were the three Suys I picked off when I caught Chris his bike was losing oil, to the point lwas using tear-offs.'' Cll losa[ CrRcuII losar, G[ArAn REsuffi APR|L 9 2006 Colin EdMr& (l:56.230)i9. ShlnF Nd€rb (l:56.237)i 10. Kany RotdE lr ( l:56.2r2)i I l. Chre v@len (l:s5.355): 12. l'ldco l'lebr'dn (l:56.822)i ll. Joh. ltcpkiG (l:56.9€l); I 4. G.los Ch€(" ( I ;57.299)r I 5. Rad), de PFi€r ( I :57.822)i 16. Mardo Tamlda (l:57.891): 17.lffi Ellisn (l:58.674)l 18. AJer HofiMn ( l:5t.5r l); r9.)E Lub Cird@ ( l:59.731). l,lOTOGPr l. Valentino R6i (Y ):2. Nicrq Hnld6 (Hd); 3. Lotu capircrn (Dk); 4. s€te Gib€ru (Duc)i s- C5e/ StoE (Hon): 6. D iPedr@ (Hon): 7. Meo Mehrdn {Hm)i 8.Ioi Bia (Ho)i 9. colin Edh.ds (Ym)j 10. Kany Roh.E lr (KR)i rl. shinF Nz}ano (K )j la canc Che tYffi)r ll. J:,]E Ellls (Ym)i 14 l.,lakoro T@da (Hs): 15. Ad Hof@n (DE)i 16. ,e Uis C.rd@ (Duc). T[re: 43 min. 22 229 w Obtafte 12 hpt.73.38 mil6 AEr.tE sp€ed: l0l 52 mph Margii of vLroqa .9m s. Fast€it hpl valenrino Ro$i, I :57.305. Lrp l MOTOGP IYORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDIiES (Aftlr 2 of 17 u!tdt): l. Lon! Cipi,6 (41/l win)r ?. Nicky Hayd6 (16); 3. Odi Pedr@ (10); a. Valer'ti@ Rosi (27l I winl: 5. (TlE) Toni Eli:,rcas€y Storer (2 r ); 7. Ndo P!=brldn e0); 8. OE) Shin)6 Nal@q4(enny FEbsE Jr. (14)r 10. Sete Gib€ru (ll): ll. colin EdMrds (12)j 12- rtkoro T rud. (8)i I 3. CnE) lohn Hopkinvc.nd che lRi 15. Chris VelroCn (4). 251)e QUAUmI{G: l. lorye Lole@ (l:01.755): 2. Heaor Bartea (2:02.081)i I Fobeno L@telli (2O2 l94i 4 Alex de Ar8di, (2:02.359)i 5 Seband Pono (2:02.452)i 6. A.d@ Oovizos (2:02.552)1 7 ,akub Sma (2:02.902)i I Hichl lorma (2:03.01 I ): 9. l'leud Pog86l' (103.426)i l0 sy'%in Guintul (2:03.518)i ll. Yuki Takahah (2103.589); 12. Arthony w6 (1:01.606)i 13 Marco lmreIie:03.827)i 14. Andre Balterini (2:fi.455)r 15. Ditk rbidolr (2,04.164)j 16. shuhe aoFm (2:0{.144i I 7. lul* cluz€l (2:04.J44); 18. Ad Saldolini (2:04.456)r i 9. Anwd vin.$t (2:04.66?); 20. Ath Tibn (2:0a.8ea):21. tlanin Gde6 (2:04.951);22. Jo.di ClRh o (2:06.271).21. Cl-qz E)e€ (2:06.150). ?4. AIs PEIumbo P:06.581)i 2s. LE Mftlli en6.802): 26. Mi.h.lE Orc (237.260). 25kG GiAND PR|X: r . JorEe Lorenzo (Apr): 2. ArdE D*ni@ (HnI3. R.herto Letelli (Ap.)i ,+. Hdt* 8,b.a ( p4i s. Hichir.rma (KrM)i 6. sy'dh Gutuoi ( pr)i 7. s€b,stia Pono (Floo)i 8. rarc gmncdl (GiDi 9. Yuk Talcnahi (Hoh)i l0 lalub 5mE (Arr)i ll. l'1din Crrddd (H6)i 12. AndM Eallsd (Apr): 13. Shuhei Aoram (Hon): 14. Me@l PoggBli (KT|',I): 15. Dnt Hetlof (Apr)i 16 Armld vincer't (H6): I 7. CtEd D&iB (Apr); I 8. L{6 l'lorclli (Apr)l 19. l'1ich€le Orc (Apr)i 20. AlBo Palhbo (Ap.). Tim: 4 I mn 29 946 w Dirtan s 20 lap5, 66.71 mil6 AYer4e .pGedr 96.452 rph Ma€in of Yitq. .077 *. Faitst laF AriE Odni@, 2:01.2,16, L,p 16 250.c WORLD CHAHPIONSHIP PqNTS STAiOINGS (Aft.. 2 oa 16 6un&): l. joEc Lolffi (50/2 wim); 2. Ande Dovizid (36): 3. Rc6.rto Loetdli (2s): 4- Hdor Barbea (24); 5 H,Mhi AoFro (21)i 6. (nE) AJq de AEeli{Yuki T,}elala (20J: B. sy'Ein Giu oli (14:9. Marttn c,rd# (ll): 10. s.b6ria Pdto (9) ll. Mffi smorelli (Ei 12. Meud Posi,li (4; 13. (TlE) lakub smrr/Aroxd vncent (6): 15. CnE) AndE Bdedn/An!rc Izon (4). l25c QIAUFYII{G: l. Aturc Baxitiib (107.,151): 2. l'1an6 Pan' /1'07.5281 3. M a K.ll@ 0!7676): 4 S6Eo Gldo Q'07 6931: 5 Llka P*L (2{7 872): 6. Gbo. TalMi G:07 8r4r 7. P.blo NEto (2:07.e23): I lod oliw (2:08. I sl)r 9 Hed Fauhd (2,08 l56li r0.lulEn Simon (2,08.220)i ll Ar€el Rodns@z (2.08.309)i I 2. and@ lariMe (2.08.785)i I 3 Lol!@ anet! (2:08.8?4: 14. Federko sandl (2:0€.835)i 15 Thn6 Llthi (2r08843)i 16. Safbde de Roe (208.986)t 17. Sadrc Con6e (2:09.22r: 18. :imne C6i (2:09.274)r 19 TonDtGhi Kolana (2:09.46r);20. Fabnio Vi \L@.674)t 1l . l"like di t1€db (2:09.711)1 22. Eadle/ Smnh (2:10.135); 23. Aleix Elpqr8m (2:10.174)i 24. l'lichek Piro (2:10.176)i 25. l'1at@ Tle (2: 10.838): 26. Hdud HFode (2: 10.5 I 7): 27. lmE Tod, (2:10.5,16)i 28. Ni@ls Tel p:10.606); 29. Simre GrcEI9i (2:10338); 30. vircnt BBillard (2i10.860): 3t. L!rcnb Broni P:10.943); 12. rlidel &reds (2:i1.295); 31. Steran B.adl e: I L42 I ); l,+. Kftl Ab.atErn (2: I L598); 35. raict€re cqt (2:l2.00g); 16. ley Liqffi /.212.132):17. P6berto T burhi (2: I 1.374. l25e GMND PRDC i. Affi BautisE (&r)i 2. flik! Xallio (KTHJi L S€Aio Ged€2 ( pr):4. Mattir P.siii (AF); 5. Patlo Neito (Apr)i 6. Hecto. FaH (Apr): 7. AEd 8od.i8az (apr): 8. Iro@ Lu$i (Ho)i e. StMe Co6i (Gil): 10.lds SilM (KTl'1): I I 6abor lalmci (Ho)i I 2. Raf&le de R6a (Apr): rl. Ard@ lMnone (As)i 14 Fabri& L, (H6); 15 Imq€shi Kotnm (t.al); 16. Nicdz Tel (D6)i 17. Ahd Esp6rFro (Hon): 18. Michele Pirro (&r)i 19. Maud Herrde (Apr); 20. Mncent BEjll d ( pr)i 2r. Lffinzo Z&etti (Apr): 22. Bddley Smhh (Hon); 21. Shne Gr.{zkyj (Apr)r 2a. Kard Ab6h (Ap4i 25 l'lat@ Tu@ (&4i 26. Scfan sradl (K-n1): 27 Joey ljneru (Hoi): 28 I1rhd6 co.r (l-Lcn)i 29 Rdbno Terbuhni (Apr): l0 Lol@o E@ft (Hd) Iirc 38 min 5d.S48 w. Db6re: 18laI6, 60.04 mi6 AtE ac +..d 9?.5 mph H.,Ein of*to.r: 6.765 se FdiBt bfl Alv@ Bauti'ta, 2:0&591. Lip 5 12ft( WORI.D CIIAHPIONSHIP POINTS SIANO- INGS (Att r 2 ot I 6 m.6): I . Ave Baltirta (5On wiN)i 2. l"lika &llio (3lI l. lYalth Pdini (2q a S€€io 6ads (25): 5. ano Lukas Pesek/Hecior F&bel (20): 7. OIE) Pablo Ni€tdlulhn Stmn ( I 41 9. Gabor Tdmd ( I l); I 0. Simm Co6i (12)r I l. AnEd RodrigEz (9)r 12. Thffi Llthi(8): ll. l@ ol@ (Ar I 4 Tonqshi Kqdq (5): I 5. Olq Rarheh de RGa/AndE hnl6t (4). Conl,flued tuon page t9 Bas it. lf you .onsid€r at Jerez we were less than five seconds wide open, it makes a big dilfer- ence when you're movin8 that kind ofweiSht. lt makes a big difference on tires. Overawhole iace I don't think it's Soing to make a huSe dif- ference, but over five laps it will. lthink." The MotocP World Championship calendar willcertainly look difierent in 2007, but how? One of three GPs is certain to go - Malaysia, China, or Qatar - with China the favorite to leave the (al€ndar Chinawas never interested in motorcycles and the race w3s only added at the suggestion o{ F I impresario Bernie Eccle- stone. The replacement will likely be Mrsano. the track on the ltalian Adriatic that hasnt hosted a GP since Wayne fuiney s career-end- in8 injury in 1993. Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpele- ta calls that day the darkest ofhis l5-year stew-ardship o[GP raaing. and he swore never !o return to lhat track. And he won\. The track he'll return ro will run in reverse. with work already be8inning- "We have to change everythinE," said Loris Capirossi, one of the members of rhe Rider's Safery Commission, "and I m thinkingwe have ro chanSe the way Lo go. Because ahe last corner in Misano is dan- gerous from the bridge and if you modify that, you go the opposite way. rhis is the plan." Colin Edw-ards, who raced at Misno as recently as 2002, was intri8ued by the notion of running it backward, though initially he wEs dis- b€lieving. "You pullinS my ld" he asked. "Backwards? That s pretty cool. Rlnnin8 back- wards lhe firsr pan will be basically (he same. It's not untilyou get onto tftat back straight thatyou'llbe wishingyou were running it the wronS way. That's Soing to be interesting." The choice of a second race in ltaly is meant to cap- italize on Rossi's popularity, though few believe he'll be in HotoGP next year Ezpeleta also said he doesn t believe that either of the two lar8est motorcycle manufacturers not currently in GP racingwill.ome. He said he doesn't expect Bl'lW to come in the shon term, despite testiflg they ve been doing in Spain, nor does he e"xpect Harley-Davidson. And Aprilia isn't on the horizon, either "l know BI'TW are inte.ested in MotoGP and have done some testint with 0eremyl Mcwilliams at Ameria, but I don't expe

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