Cycle News

VOL. 50 ISSUE 42 OCTOBER 22, 2013 The pack roared into turns one and two with Lorenzo (99) getting his now patented fast start from pole position. unseasonably fine and warm if windy weather, though the heavy rain of Thursday returned with almost perfect timing midway through the last lap of the MotoGP race. But then Race Direction earned black marks after painting itself into a corner, obliged to issue several penalties including two black flags and two "drop one place" orders for infringement of hastily framed rules or the cross- ing of hastily daubed white lines - put in place to extend pit lane in both direction. The disapprobation was because one of the black flags was to potential race and even championship winner Marc Marquez, after the rider's pit crew had misunderstood the method of counting laps in the new raceday diktat. It could even prove the turning point of 2013. What seemed an excessive punishment for a technical infringement had a wider reaching effect – and could tip the balance of a World Championship that has been going all Marquez's way for most of the season. For the most creditable performance of all came from race winner Jorge Lorenzo, who did everything right to claim 25 points, and to narrow the gap to his youthful rival to just 18 points, with two races left. From having one hand on the title, Marquez has now lost his one-race buffer, all for running just one little lap too many. Lorenzo was on pole, from Marquez and Valentino Rossi, and he made yet another perfect getaway to lead from the start, while the Repsol Hondas of Marquez and Dani Pedrosa bickered behind him. They were soon pulling clear of second Yamaha rider Rossi, who had first to get ahead of P63 Briefly... to beat him on the track, so the best man wins - not through injury," he said. Redding is a doubtful starter also for the Japanese GP this coming weekend. Andrea Coleman, founder of the official MotoGP charity Riders for Health, has been named Woman of the Year by the prestigious British organization, in recognition of her work in bringing primary medical care to huge swathes of rural Africa. The honor follows royal recognition of the charities feats. As well as support from trade and industry, the Riders for Health coffers are massively swelled by charity events linked to MotoGP. The popular "Day of Champions" at Silverstone this year raised more than 215,000 British Pounds. Coleman has lifelong links with motorcycles and motorcycle racing. Her father was Jack Williams, tester and senior development engineer for AMC motorcycles, makers of Matchless and AJS among other brands. Her brother Peter Williams was a noted British racer and designer of the 1970s, whose career was cut short by an accident. Andrea raced herself, and was first married to Irish GP and road-race star Tom Herron, who was killed in 1979 in the North West 200 race. She later married journalist and author Barry Coleman (former Motocourse editor and Kenny Roberts biographer, as well as World Series co-founder), who co-founded Riders for Health with Andrea in 1990. Randy Mamola was also an important supporter. Stefan Bradl made a brave but shortlived attempt to replicate the feats of Jorge Lorenzo and others with a racing return barely five days after surgery on fractures to his right anklecontinued on next page

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