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MotoGP June 29, Race Results |
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MotoGP World Championship Grand Prix Round 7
Netherlands GP, Assen
Valentino Rossi and RC211V Victorious at Dutch MotoGP. |
Italian Superstar
Valentino Rossi raced his RC211V REPSOL Honda to a superbly timed victory
at the 19-lap Dutch MotoGP race, held at the fabulous Assen circuit in the
Netherlands. Rossi had sat behind surprise leader Alex Barros (West Honda
Pons) for much of the race before swooping past with two laps to go and
beating Barros by 2.2 seconds.
It was Rossi's sixth win in the seven MotoGP races of 2002, and his tenth
victory in the last 11 senior World Championship races to be run. The Italian
now tops the series points standings with 170 points, 68 more than teammate
Tohru Ukawa.
Ukawa, racing in his 100th grand prix, was locked in a fierce race-long
duel with Carlos Checa (Marlboro Yamaha) for third place but their machines
touched at the final chicane and ran onto the grass. Checa managed to keep
the Yamaha upright, racing across the grass and regaining the circuit to
finish third. Ukawa was not so lucky as he dropped the RC211V, and he was
passed by Checa's teammate Max Biaggi before getting his machine out of
the dirt to finish fifth.
Marco Melandri (MS Aprilia) raced to his third consecutive 250cc GP victory
to move into an eight point championship lead over Fonsi Nieto (Telefonica
MoviStar Aprilia), who could manage no better than fifth in today's race.
Melandri had displaced early race leader Toni Elias, Nieto's teammate, and
Randy de Puniet (Campetella Racing Aprilia) on lap two of the 18-lap race,
and was never threatened from that point on as he ran out an easy five-second
victor over Elias.
Roberto Rolfo (Team Fortuna Honda Gresini) rode a superb race to finish
in third place, his 16th consecutive top ten finish. Rolfo had qualified
in 17th place but a rocket-like start helped him to seventh place by the
end of lap one. From then on he picked off his rivals one by one to finally
get into third on lap 10, but too late to catch Elias.
Young Spaniard Dani Pedrosa (Telefonica Movistar Junior Team) scored his
maiden grand prix victory with a stunning start-to-finish victory in the
17-lap race. Pedrosa was in a class of his own, well clear of the tremendous
five-man battle behind him for the minor podium places.
Reigning World Champion Manuel Poggiali (Gilera), Pedrosa's teammate Joan
Olive, Arnaud Vincent, Lucio Cecchinello (Safilo Oxydo Aprilia) and Steve
Jenkner (UGT 3000 Aprilia) were all in with a chance of second place, but
it was Poggiali who prevailed from Olive. This was Olive's first ever podium
finish. Poggiali's second place ensures that he retains his 20-point series
lead, but he is now being chased by Pedrosa, who passed Vincent in the standings.
Pedrosa's win was the ninth Honda 125cc victory in the last 11 races at
Assen.
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MotoGP
World Championship Grand Prix Round 7
Netherlands GP, Assen
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MotoGP
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| 1 |
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V.Rossi (Honda RC211V) |
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| 2 |
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A.Barros (Honda NSR500) |
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| 3 |
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C.Checa (Yamaha) |
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| 4 |
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M.Biaggi (Yamaha) |
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| 5 |
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T.Ukawa (Honda RC211V) |
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| 6 |
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K.Roberts Jr. (Suzuki) |
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| 7 |
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J.Hopkins (Yamaha) |
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| 8 |
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S.Nakano (Yamaha) |
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| 9 |
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N.Abe (Yamaha) |
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| 10 |
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J-v.Goorbergh (Honda NSR500) |
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| 11 |
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A.Hofmann (Yamaha) |
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| 12 |
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D.Kato (Honda NSR500) |
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| 13 |
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T.Harada (Honda NSR500) |
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| 14 |
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O.Jacque (Yamaha) |
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| 15 |
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A.Ryo (Suzuki) |
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Left : V. Rossi
Right : A. Barros
V. Rossi (Honda RC211V)
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250cc
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| 1 |
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M.Melandri (Aprilia) |
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| 2 |
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A.Elias (Aprilia) |
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| 3 |
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R.Rolfo (Honda NSR250) |
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| 4 |
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S.Porto (Yamaha) |
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| 5 |
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F.Nieto (Aprilia) |
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| 6 |
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H.Aoki (Honda RS250R) |
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| 7 |
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R.Locatelli (Aprilia) |
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| 8 |
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C.Stoner (Aprilia) |
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| 9 |
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F.Battaini (Aprilia) |
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| 10 |
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S.Yuzy (Yamaha) |
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| 11 |
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R.Waldmann (Aprilia) |
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| 12 |
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A.Debon (Aprilia) |
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| 13 |
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R.Jara (Aprilia) |
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| 14 |
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N.Matsudo (Yamaha) |
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| 15 |
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V.Philippe (Aprilia) |
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125cc
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| 1 |
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D.Pedrosa (Honda RS125R) |
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| 2 |
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M.Poggiali (Gilera) |
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| 3 |
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J.Olive (Honda RS125R) |
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| 4 |
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A.Vincent (Aprilia) |
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| 5 |
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L.Cecchinello (Aprilia) |
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| 6 |
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S.Jenkner (Aprilia) |
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| 7 |
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P.Nieto (Aprilia) |
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| 8 |
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Y.Ui (Derbi) |
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| 9 |
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A-D.Angelis (Aprilia) |
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| 10 |
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A.Rodriguez (Aprilia) |
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| 11 |
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A.Dovizioso (Honda RS125R) |
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| 12 |
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S.Sanna (Aprilia) |
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| 13 |
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G.Borsoi (Aprilia) |
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| 14 |
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M.Azuma (Honda RS125R) |
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| 15 |
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G.Talmacsi (Honda RS125R) |
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