Valencia GP. Second practice

Repsol riders sharpen their weapons for the last confrontation of the 2004 season
Sebastián Porto keeps second place in the 250cc; Nicky Hayden fifth in MotoGP and same position for Sergio Gadea in the 125cc
 The party goes on in Valencia and the Repsol riders take their marks for the last races of the 2004 season. In the premier class, Nicky Hayden made a large jump forward on the starting grid, moving up from yesterdays fourteenth place fifth row of the grid to fifth this afternoon, allowing him to take the start from the second row of the grid. Different luck for Barros today: on his last fast lap, the Brazilian rider was hindered by a slower rider, setting him back to the twelfth position on the fourth row of the starting grid. And last but not least, sixth row for Ruben Xaus, who has been followed by several mechanical problems throughout the weekend. Hell try to overcome the problems tomorrow to offer a good result to all the fans coming out to the Ricardo Tormo circuit. A new chapter of the intense duel between the protagonists of the class was lived today in the 250cc class; Sebastián Porto and Dani Pedrosa have been once again swapping positions during the practice sessions. In the morning Porto was again fastest and in the afternoon, just like yesterday, it was Pedrosa who managed to set the pole time, followed by Porto in second place. Behind the two fastest riders of the class there was again De Angelis on third. Fonsi Nieto, twelfth fastest in the morning, was sixteenth in the afternoon and will be starting tomorrow from the fourth row of the grid. Lights and shadows for the Repsol riders in the quarter-of-a-litre class. Sergio Gadea confirmed his chances to fight for a place on the podium tomorrow setting the fifth fastest time in the qualifying practice. The young rider from Valencia improved his times today, moving from seventh to third place during the session until finally getting a place on the second row of the starting grid, his best classification this season so far. Gadea, who has become the revelation rider of the Grand Prix, will go for all tomorrow to get a great result in front of all his fans. Shadows for his team-mate Pablo Nieto, who had to finish the practice ahead of time after his Aprilia suffered a mechanical problem halfway the session which couldnt be solved on time. Therefore, the youngest of the Nietos was one of the few riders who could not improve the times set yesterday having to settle for the fourteenth place of the starting grid.