Cycle News

Cycle News 2026 Issue 09 March 3

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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BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE T here's nothing like the prom- ise of a new MotoGP season to get the blood pumping. It didn't quite go to script, as Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing Team), who topped every session bar Sunday morning warmup, promptly threw it away in the Sprint race. But he made up for it on Sunday, taking a dominant win in swelter - ing, tire-destroying conditions. This makes three Sunday GP wins in a row for Bezzecchi, who claimed victory at the final two races of 2025 at Portimao and Valencia. Neither Aprilia nor Marco Bezzec - chi had ever won three consecu- tive Grand Prix races until now. The Sprint went the way of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM), who took his first MotoGP premier class race win, even if it wasn't the Sunday GP win he so craved. He took the gold after crossing the line second to Marc Marquez (Lenovo Ducati), but a controver - sial penalty for the World Champi- on for a sharp pass on the penul- timate lap saw him give the place back in a very Formula One-esque draconian example of rulebook enforcement. In Moto2, Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) outlasted two red flags and acres of broken carbon fiber to take the first win of the year, while in Moto3, David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) did like elder teammate Gonzalez and outfoxed Max Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) by a mi - nuscule three-thousandths of a second for the victory. VOLUME ISSUE MARCH , P87 Marco Bezzecchi was fastest all weekend but threw it away on Saturday. He more than made up for it on Sunday by blitzing the field. MOTOGP EXPLODED BACK INTO LIFE IN THE FINAL YEAR OF THE 300- HORSEPOWER 1000S, AND IT WAS MARCO BEZZECCHI WHO MADE A LITTLE SLICE OF HISTORY AS THE FIRST APRILIA RIDER TO TAKE THREE WINS IN A ROW.

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