Valencia GP. First practice

Test day in Cheste for Repsol drivers
Pedrosa 1st in 125. Nieto 5th and Elías 7th in 250 and 4th place for Rossi in MotoGP
 Good weather and a remarkable amount of fans have been the outstanding facts of the first official practice day at the Comunitat Valenciana Grand Prix. The initial practices held at the Cheste circuit have allowed the riders to carry out the first setting tests, which have been especially successful for Dani Pedrosa, fastest in the 125cc. This category is the only one that still has to decide this season’s champion, with Arnaud Vincent and Manuel Poggiali arriving in Valencia separated by only eight points in the overall standings. Dani Pedrosa doesn’t have chances to fight for the title but he will be fighting for victory in order to say good-bye to a season that has been really brilliant for him. Time lag in the 250cc. Today, Marco Melandri was fastest. The new world champion managed to take a small advantage over Randy de Puniet and Emilio Alzamora while Fonsi Nieto was fifth and Toni Elias seventh. The Catalan rider suffered a crash without consequences and both expect to improve their positions tomorrow. Today has been for both, as usual, a bike testing day, looking forward to the decisive session. The same applies to Valentino Rossi, fourth today, in a session dominated by Alex Barros. The leader of the MotoGP class has a special motivation on this track, where he has never been able to step on the podium. His team-mate Tohru Ukawa finished twelfth.