Rossi extends lead after dramatic US win
Italy's Valentino Rossi stretched his lead atop the MotoGP standings with a triumph in the US Grand Prix.
The Yamaha rider, a seven-time world champion, emerged victorious after a fierce duel with reigning world champ Casey Stoner, who finished second aboard a Ducati, with Stoner's fellow Australian Chris Vermeulen third on a Suzuki.
Britain's James Toseland on his Tech 3 Yamaha finished ninth.
Stoner, winner on the challenging, hilly Laguna Seca layout last year, had dominated all of the free practice and qualifying this week, and had won the last three races from pole position to thrust himself into the title picture.
With the victory, however, Rossi took his total atop the standings to 212 points, 25 points in front of Stoner (187).
The two riders had separated themselves from the field when the deciding moment of the race occurred at the end of the 23rd of 32 laps.
As Rossi and Stoner prepared to enter the home straight, having battled at each corner, Stoner went wide into the gravel and his attempt to push himself back with his foot saw him fall. He resumed in second place, and couldn't catch his Italian rival, finishing 13 seconds adrift.
The runner-up finish did allow the 22-year-old to take over second place in the standings.
Spain's Dani Pedrosa, who was lying second overall coming into the race, withdrew before Saturday's qualifying after his practice runs showed his broken left wrist and injured ankle - suffered in a fall in the German Grand Prix - just wouldn't allow him to compete.
Rossi's victory brought an end to Stoner's storming run of victories at Britain, the Netherlands and Germany.
The Italian, whose seven world titles include five in the premier MotoGP category, added a first career win at Laguna Seca to titles in China, France and Italy already this season.
However, it was not all good news for Yamaha, with Rossi's team-mate Jorge Lorenzo thought to have broken a bone in his foot after coming off in dramatic crash in the first lap of the race.
Unusually, the US stop includes only the premier world championship category. The 125cc and 250cc series will resume alongside the MotoGP at the Czech Grand Prix in Brno on August 17.
Seán Fay & / AFP
The Yamaha rider, a seven-time world champion, emerged victorious after a fierce duel with reigning world champ Casey Stoner, who finished second aboard a Ducati, with Stoner's fellow Australian Chris Vermeulen third on a Suzuki.
Britain's James Toseland on his Tech 3 Yamaha finished ninth.
Stoner, winner on the challenging, hilly Laguna Seca layout last year, had dominated all of the free practice and qualifying this week, and had won the last three races from pole position to thrust himself into the title picture.
With the victory, however, Rossi took his total atop the standings to 212 points, 25 points in front of Stoner (187).
The two riders had separated themselves from the field when the deciding moment of the race occurred at the end of the 23rd of 32 laps.
As Rossi and Stoner prepared to enter the home straight, having battled at each corner, Stoner went wide into the gravel and his attempt to push himself back with his foot saw him fall. He resumed in second place, and couldn't catch his Italian rival, finishing 13 seconds adrift.
The runner-up finish did allow the 22-year-old to take over second place in the standings.
Spain's Dani Pedrosa, who was lying second overall coming into the race, withdrew before Saturday's qualifying after his practice runs showed his broken left wrist and injured ankle - suffered in a fall in the German Grand Prix - just wouldn't allow him to compete.
Rossi's victory brought an end to Stoner's storming run of victories at Britain, the Netherlands and Germany.
The Italian, whose seven world titles include five in the premier MotoGP category, added a first career win at Laguna Seca to titles in China, France and Italy already this season.
However, it was not all good news for Yamaha, with Rossi's team-mate Jorge Lorenzo thought to have broken a bone in his foot after coming off in dramatic crash in the first lap of the race.
Unusually, the US stop includes only the premier world championship category. The 125cc and 250cc series will resume alongside the MotoGP at the Czech Grand Prix in Brno on August 17.
Seán Fay & / AFP
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