Rossi wins and convinces in an intense and spectacular race.
The Repsol rider emerges victorious from the final duel with Gibernau. Elias, second ahead of Poggiali, reduces the gap in the overall standings.
Exciting races today at the Czech track in Brno, with three very equalled and vibrating finishes. The main attraction in the premier category was to watch the reaction of the reigning world champion and Repsol rider Valentino Rossi after the holidays and after the last race in Germany. It was the Australian Troy Bayliss on his Ducati who took the lead right after the start. Bayliss set the pace and lead the pack during the first half of the race. Whilst one of the big favourites, Max Biaggi was staying behind, Bayliss and Rossi where closely followed by Capirossi, Checa and Hayden, in seventh position. The North American rider, Rossi’s team-mate made a good race keeping the pace of the leading group during the first half of the race. Mechanical problems forced Capirossi to ride back to his garage, leaving the exciting final fight for the victory to Rossi and Gibernau. Both Honda riders have been passing each other during the last three laps, but the final victory went to the Repsol rider after a spectacular overtaking manoeuvre. His victory and Hayden’s sixth place have increased Repsol Honda’s advantage in the lead of the MotoGP teams championship standings to 64 points.
Diverse luck for the Repsol riders in the 250cc class. Toni Elias was the fastest and most competitive of them today, fighting for the victory until the last lap with De Puniet, winner, and Poggiali. In an incredible last lap, after these three riders had been riding almost by themselves throughout the race, the successive overtaking manoeuvres between Poggiali and Elias allowed the Frenchman to get a bit of an advantage that finally gave him the victory. Toni Elias finished second and Poggiali third. Fonsi Nieto, despite making a good start, suffered some mechanical problems that hindered him from fighting for the victory. But despite his final sixth place, after being overtaken in the last lap by Sebastián Porto, who finished fifth, he keeps his chances for the title with his second place in the overall standings, only nine points behind the leader Poggiali. Another Repsol rider showing a great performance today was Héctor Faubel, who finished tenth. His team-mate Joan Olivé finished out of the points, in sixteenth position after a very difficult weekend.
The minor category also staged an intense battle, but with the main candidates for the victory ruling themselves out due to their own mistakes. The crashes of Cecchinello and Jenkner and later Nieto and Luthi reduced the battle of six to a duel between the two current main candidates for the title: Dani Pedrosa and Stefano Perugini. The victory was finally taken by the Repsol rider Dani Pedrosa, thus increasing his advantage in the top spot of the overall standings to a total 25 points. Héctor Barbera fought for a place on the podium until the last lap but finally had to settle for the fifth place.
