Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

MOTOGP Round 3 April 30, 2OO5 World Championship MotoGP S€ri€s our llrst time here, with iust one rider We knew we were in trouble when it did- n't rain," he said. Japanese turncoat Hiroshi Aoyama took the reward for switching from Honda to KTM with a flne first 250cc vic- tory for the Austrian marque, the rider's second, in a breathtaking 250 race that included heroism, desperation and vety nearly tragedy, after erstwhile leader Alex de Angelis (Aprilia) made a crazy move on the fastest corner of the year, collided with Hector Barbera's Honda (for a sec- ond time) at close to top speed on the exit, and miraculotrsly avoided crashing under the wheels of four other riders. Barbeh survived to claim second, his first podium in the class, with Andrea Dovizioso a close third and Roberto Locatelli fourth. Pole starter Jorge Lorenzo was taken out on the very first corner by an over- enthusiastic Shuhei Aoyama. Four more riders fell in the wake of this crash- The rostrum finishers were far from impressed by de Angelis' headlong swerve across the track on the final straight, taking him straight into the back of Barbera's bike. De Angelis was almost thrown then and there. but recovered to run onto the Srass at toP sPeed. Luckily, there is a long, paved run-off area at the end of the back straight, and he was able to stop without falling. The San Marino rider was called before Race Direction. but somehow escaped punishment. "lt was such a tough race, and some- times dangerous," said Aoyama. "The last lap was really hard, so I am very happy to have won for KTM." Barbera and Dovizioso also com- plained, the latter saying with some understatement: "De Angelis' change of direction in sixth gear was a little bit dan- gerous.'' Spanish Aprilia rider Hector Faubel claimed a narrow first victor), in the l25cc GP after a fierce raceJong battle with his teammate Alvaro Bautista, winner of the first two rounds, Sergio Gadea came from behind to lead the next grouP lor third, making a rostrum clean sweeP for the Master-MVA fupar Aprilia team- But the race brought aSony to Hika Kallio, who was with the leaders and looking strong, when his KIM coasted to a stoP with three of the l9 laps remaining. "l've waited a long time for this win" said Faubel. But a smiling Bautista said: ''l'm just as happy with second, after seeing Kallio 8o out." MOTOGP Vermeulen took a flier, and though Gibemau powered past earb/ in the lap, the Australian was ahead aSain at the end of it, with Hopkins, Hayden, Stoner and Melandri hard behind. Gibernau made his pass stick on laP two, and held the lead for the next nine laps; at the same time Rossi outbEked himself, and ran off, dropping from ninth on lap one to l4th, with a big hill to climb. Gibernau couldn't get away, and while Vermeulen had been thoroughly mugged by Stoner, Melandri and Hayden by lap four; Hopkins was second and stickin8 close to the Ducati, his darinS riding and kamikaze braking making uP for any speed deflcit. On lap seven, Stoner pushed him to third, and then the American slowed sig- nificantly, his rear tire so shot that he was sliding goin8 into the turns. After four laps of dropping back, he pitted for a new trre. Up front, Gibernau was at the head of a six-bike pack, covered by half a second over the line at the end of lap 10. Melandri was second, but the most impressive rider was Pedrosa, who had come charying through from l3th on lap one, the lightweight rider's late braking quite sensational, though never interrupt- ing his smoothly flowing style. He was third, ahead of Hayden and Stoner, with Vermeulen now losing touch. One lap later, Melandri was leading, and Gibernau down to fifth. He would continue to lose Sround for the rest of the race. Pedrosa took to the front on lap 12, his flrst time in the lead in the l'4otoGP class, and stayed there for five laps. But he had constant close companx Hayden holding second for most of the time. Until Melandri passed them both with a flying run through the very fast corner, This was the siSnal for yet more trading of places, and one lap later. it was Stoner in front- With four laps to go, Hayden finally succumbed to the pressure, still not happy with his brakes, and started to lose touch- It would be between the three of them. They crossed the line for the se€ond- to-last time with Pedrosa six-tenths down, still threatening - but the 250cc World Champion didn't make it throuSh the first turn, losing the front under brakes. He ran straight to the bike to reioin. but all attention was on the lead- ers, and Stoner was not leaving any SaPs for his pursuer. It came down to that last run throu8h the fast right, where l"lelandri had already shown his strength. He did it again, and it worked. Rossi had been charging through, Elias following his every move, and now he was closing on the fading Hayden. But even though the American ran wide, he wasn't quite close enough, crossing the line less than a second adrift. with Elias 28 MAY r o, 2006 . cYcLE NEws Melqndri spioys rhe bubblT Itn, l1 /i, I I I 71 I -t G. 7 / ,/ r , ) { Corey Sloner choses down Pedroso, Hoyden ond ilelondrl ,/ r'

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