Portugal GP. Races

Repsol takes victory in all three classes in Portugal
Pablo Nieto, Toni Elias y Valentino Rossi offer Repsol a extraordinary triple win
 Great day for the Repsol riders in Portugal with victories for Pablo Nieto in the 125cc, Toni Elias in the 250cc, and Valentino Rossi in the MotoGP class. Héctor Barberá was also part of the big party with his second place finish in the 125cc class. In the premier category Valentino Rossi didn’t give any chance to his rivals. After starting fourth, he put himself second after two laps, right behind Biaggi, who set a fast pace from the beginning. Biaggi and Rossi opened a small gap with regard to Capirossi and Sete, who were following them closely and who had left the rest of the pack behind. Despite Capirossi’s and Gibernau’s efforts to catch-up with the leaders they didn’t make it. To avoid any problem, Rossi decided halfway the race to pass Biaggi, change the rhythm, and leave them all behind. From that moment on Rossi assumed control until the chequered flag. This result and the fourth final position of Gibernau, who was overtaken on the finish line by Capirossi, give the Repsol rider a comfortable 46-points advantage in the overall standings. His teammate Nicky Hayden, on a circuit he didn’t feel very comfortable all over the weekend, finished ninth. Both Repsol Honda Team results increase the team’s advantage in the overall standings of the teams championship, which they are now leading by a 65-points-advantage over the second qualified team, the Camel Pramac Honda Pons. In the 250cc class, Toni Elias played the leading role of this weekend’s Grand Prix. Pole on Friday, but a crash on Saturday morning that left him out of the second qualifying session and sent him to a Hospital in Lisbon where he had a CAT. Fortunately Toni was released a couple of hours later and this morning, during the warm-up, he managed to set the fastest time again, a warning for his rivals. In the race, Elias took over the lead after some laps and began to set a fast pace, lapping almost half a second faster than his rivals. With ten laps to go, the advantage over his rivals was already more than two and a half seconds, what allowed him to take the end of the race easier, thus clinching his third victory of the season. With this result Elias has shorten the gap with regard to the leader of the standings, Poggiali, putting himself second, fourteen points behind the San Marino rider.  Things were not so good for his teammate Fonsi Nieto. After a weekend filled with uncountable technical problems, today Fonsi had to settle for ninth, although the 125 points still at stake, allow him to stay within the battle for the title. After this race, Fonsi is fifth in the overall standings, 22 points behind Poggiali. Sebastián Porto, who made an excellent race, had a light crash in the last lap while fighting for a place on the podium with Rolfo and Poggiali. The brave Argentinean rider rejoined the race and managed to finish fifth. Héctor Faubel scored three points after finishing thirteenth and his teammate Joan Olivé was not able to finish the race after a crash with the Czech rider Smrz.In the minor category, the race had to be interrupted after the second lap due to the crash of Youichi Ui, who was unconscious and had to be evacuated by the medical services. After the restart, a large group of riders was built with Perugini, Pedrosa, Barberá, Pablo Nieto, De Angelis and Dovizioso among others. Pablo Nieto made up several positions from the back of the group to the leading positions. Perugini, after a light crash, saw how his hopes for the race were gone, taking those of Dovizioso with him, who managed to rejoin the race but far behind the battle for the podium places. Pedrosa, Barberá and Nieto opened a gap with ten laps to go, and only De Angelis’ recovery hindered them from clinching a hundred percent Spanish podium with three Repsol riders on the Portuguese track.Two small groups were formed with two laps to go, Barberá and Nieto with an exciting fight for the victory and De Angelis and Pedrosa deciding the third position on the podium. Pedrosa had to settle for fourth, but he was able to score points and increase his advantage over the second qualified rider in the overall standings, Perugini, up to 38 points. The duel between Nieto and Barberá was spectacular and very contended, with the victory for the youngest of the Nieto family, the first victory of his sports career in his fifth World Championship season.