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05/19/2008 - 10:53 AM
Le Mans, France
Fiat Yamaha Team's Valentino Rossi (Photo: Yamaha Racing) ยป More Photos
Valentino Rossi took a runaway triumph at the Alice Grand Prix de France, equaling Angel Nieto´s record of 90 Grand Prix wins with a superb solo run.
In a selfless display, Rossi shared the limelight with the MotoGP Legend, asking Nieto to take him on a parade lap onboard the Yamaha M1. Aside from equaling the historic milestone, the win also allowed the five-time MotoGP World Champion to assume the leadership of the overall standings for the first time this season.
Whilst second row starter Rossi had broken away from the pack early, the battle for the podium was closely contested right up to the line. The Italian´s Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo once again took his share of the limelight, bursting through the field to take second place in spite of a catalogue of injuries. His latest rostrum means that he is now the highest rookie point scorer in history from an opening five races, overtaking hero Max Biaggi.
Completing the all-Yamaha podium, Tech 3 rider Colin Edwards took another rostrum finish not quite in line with his predictions of victory, but nonetheless a fantastic achievement for the newly consistent American.
Poleman Dani Pedrosa relinquished his lead of the World Championship with fourth place, having attempted to lead the race from the front. Some hard moves from both Lorenzo and Edwards at the end of the Le Mans battle left the Repsol Honda rider off the podium for the first time in 2008.
On lap fifteen the activity picked up in pit lane, as the white flags shown on trackside provoked the uncovering of the second bikes. The option was open for the premier class riders to make a switch, but few took up the offer. Last year´s race winner Chris Vermeulen elected to stay out, and trailed Pedrosa for fifth, ahead of Andrea Dovizioso, Loris Capirossi and Nicky Hayden.
Shinya Nakano and home rider Randy de Puniet completed the top ten on their respective San Carlo Honda Gresini and LCR Honda satellite RC212Vs, whilst there was a crash for Tech 3 Yamaha´s James Toseland and a broken chain for Kawasaki man John Hopkins.
Deserving of credit for his performance was 2007 World Champion Casey Stoner, despite the fact that he finished in last place. The Australian had been fighting for the podium until the twentieth lap, and pushed his Ducati Desmosedici GP8 nearly the entire length of the track to switch machines after it broke down. His teammate Marco Melandri was the only other rider to change bikes during the race.
Valentino Rossi – Race Winner
"90 victories is fantastic. It´s fantastic to catch a rider like Angel Nieto. It was a great race; I didn’t expect to be so fast, but we modified some things this morning and we were faster in the dry. Then it started to rain and I tried to ride very sweetly. We had enough grip to continue and now we are waiting for Mugello."
250cc
In his 112th World Championship race, Alex Debon finally
A last-minute tire gamble paid dividends for the veteran, as the Lotus Aprilia rider took his first World Championship victory in an inspired performance.
With the French track still wet from the deluge experienced during the 125cc race, poleman Debon elected to run a slick on his factory Aprilia machine. As the sun dried out the race, the Spaniard racked up circuit record after circuit record to take a huge lead, one that he maintained until crossing the chequered flag.
After 112 races, the popular veteran could finally step onto the top step of the podium. The remaining rostrum places were more closely contested, with Metis Gilera´s Marco Simoncelli once again pulling an aggressive final lap move. He took second, with the recipient of the manoeuvre Mattia Pasini completing the rostrum onboard his Polaris World Aprilia.
Unlucky to finish outside the top three, after leading the charge to catch up with Debon, JiR Team Scot´s Yuki Takahashi took fourth place. Mika Kallio held onto his World Championship lead with fifth, despite nearest rival Pasini´s podium finish.
The top ten was completed by Manuel Poggiali, Hiroshi Aoyama, Julian Simon, Aleix Espargaro and Hector Faubel.
125cc
Ajo Motorsport´s Mike di Meglio was the home winner of a race of two halves, taking 125cc victory after rain forced a late restart. The wet weather specialist became the first French rider to triumph in the category at Le Mans since Guy Bertin in 1979, and also snatched the lead of the World Championship.
The race had been promising a frantic finish even without the return to the starting grid, with a ten-rider group awaiting a final push. However, the appearance of rain on the twelfth lap was to further bunch together the lower cylinder category pack.
On the fifteenth lap, and with wildcard and regular riders hitting the asphalt, the decision was taken to show the red flag and bring the riders into the pits. A reduced `second race´ of five laps was set, with the positions as of lap fourteen deciding the grid placings.
`Poleman´ Joan Olive started badly, and leading runs from Esteve Rabat and Gabor Talmacsi were ended by almost immediate crashes. That left Di Meglio able to work his magic and take a memorable victory.
Second place went to Polaris World´s Bradley Smith, who had experienced the most active of races. Starting from the front row, the Briton had dropped down to nineteenth and recuperated places up to ninth in the first race, before leading after the restart and taking his second podium of the year.
Nico Terol completed the podium spots, ahead of Belson Derbi´s Pol Espargaro, Shanghai racewinner Andrea Iannone and member of the early race-leading pack, Stefan Bradl.
Previous series leader Simone Corsi and 2007 World Champion Talmacsi were thirteenth and fourteenth, respectively.
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