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Nieto triumphs after tough battle
Donington, July 14: Spain`s Fonsi Nieto won his first race of the season after a tremendous battle with San Marino`s Manuel Poggiali in the 250cc class. Nieto, whose victory was a 12th in a row for Aprilia in the class, started from pole position but compatriot Toni Elias grabbed the lead on the first lap with Poggiali close behind at the sun-baked circuit.
Donington, July 14: Spain's Fonsi Nieto won his first race of the season after a tremendous battle with San Marino's Manuel Poggiali in the 250cc class. Nieto, whose victory was a 12th in a row for Aprilia in the class, started from pole position but compatriot Toni Elias grabbed the lead on the first lap with Poggiali close behind at the sun-baked circuit.
Elias made an error on the 17th lap to drop to third and for the second half of the race Nieto battled it out with championship leader Poggiali, but the 2001 125cc world champion was not able to get close enough to edge past his rival on the last lap.
Australian Anthony West won a thrilling late duel with Elias for third place. Poggiali, who also rides an Aprilia, retained his lead in the title race, by 15 points over Nieto.
250cc leading placings (27 laps, 108.621 km):
1. Fonsi Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 42 minutes 58.011 seconds
2. Manuel Poggiali (San Marino) Aprilia 42:58.280
3. Anthony West (Australia) Aprilia 43:00.569
4. Toni Elias (Spain) Aprilia 43:00.944
5. Roberto Rolfo (Italy) Honda 43:00.945
6. Sebastian Porto (Argentina) Honda 43:23.041
7. Franco Battaini (Italy) Aprilia 43:25.674
8. Randy De Puniet (France) Aprilia 43:29.602
9. Naoki Matsudo (Japan) Yamaha 43:48.359
10. Alex Debon (Spain) Honda 43:51.348
Leading world championship standings:
1. Poggiali 121 points
2. Fonsi Nieto 106
3. Elias 97
4. Rolfo 97
5. West 94
6. De Puniet 89
7. Battaini 87
8. Porto 74
9. Matsudo 60
10. Sylvain Guintoli (France) Aprilia 58
Manufacturers standings: 1. Aprilia 200 2. Honda 113 3. Yamaha 60
125cc race: Spanish 16-year-old Hector Barbera claimed his first world championship event when he took the chequered flag in the 125cc race.
The Aprilia rider took the lead early in the race and held off a strong challenge over the final few laps from Italian duo Andrea Dovizioso and Stefano Perugini, who finished second and third respectively.
Spain's Daniel Pedrosa, who leads the riders' championship in the 125cc class, was unseated when Perugini made contact with him on the last lap and failed to finish. But the Honda rider will retain his 26-point lead over Steve Jenkner in the title race as the German crashed on the first lap and also failed to score any points.
125cc leading placings (25 laps, 100.575 km): 1. Hector Barbera (Spain) Aprilia 41 minutes 25.907 seconds 2. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 41:26.512 3. Stefano Perugini (Italy) Aprilia 41:28.504 4. Alex De Angelis (San Marino) Aprilia 41:35.077 5. Casey Stoner (Australia) Aprilia 41:37.599 6. Pablo Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 41:41.805 7. Mika Kallio (Finland) Honda 41:46.911 8. Arnaud Vincent (France) KTM 41:47.663 9. Gabor Talmacski (Hungary) Aprilia 41:48.119 10. Lucio Cecchinello (Italy) Aprilia 41:49.549
Leading world championship standings: 1. Daniel Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 124 points 2. Steve Jenkner (Geramny) Aprilia 98 3. Cecchinello 97 4. Dovizioso 93 5. Perugini 92 6. Nieto 77 7. De Angelis 76 8. Barbera 65 9. Youichi Ui (Japan) Aprilia 64 10. Thomas Luthi (Switzerland) Honda 48
Manufacturers standings: 1. Aprilia 177 2. Honda 148 3. KTM 19 4. Derbi 11 5. Malaguti 2
Bureau Report
Manufacturers standings: 1. Aprilia 200 2. Honda 113 3. Yamaha 60
125cc race: Spanish 16-year-old Hector Barbera claimed his first world championship event when he took the chequered flag in the 125cc race.
The Aprilia rider took the lead early in the race and held off a strong challenge over the final few laps from Italian duo Andrea Dovizioso and Stefano Perugini, who finished second and third respectively.
Spain's Daniel Pedrosa, who leads the riders' championship in the 125cc class, was unseated when Perugini made contact with him on the last lap and failed to finish. But the Honda rider will retain his 26-point lead over Steve Jenkner in the title race as the German crashed on the first lap and also failed to score any points.
125cc leading placings (25 laps, 100.575 km): 1. Hector Barbera (Spain) Aprilia 41 minutes 25.907 seconds 2. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 41:26.512 3. Stefano Perugini (Italy) Aprilia 41:28.504 4. Alex De Angelis (San Marino) Aprilia 41:35.077 5. Casey Stoner (Australia) Aprilia 41:37.599 6. Pablo Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 41:41.805 7. Mika Kallio (Finland) Honda 41:46.911 8. Arnaud Vincent (France) KTM 41:47.663 9. Gabor Talmacski (Hungary) Aprilia 41:48.119 10. Lucio Cecchinello (Italy) Aprilia 41:49.549
Leading world championship standings: 1. Daniel Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 124 points 2. Steve Jenkner (Geramny) Aprilia 98 3. Cecchinello 97 4. Dovizioso 93 5. Perugini 92 6. Nieto 77 7. De Angelis 76 8. Barbera 65 9. Youichi Ui (Japan) Aprilia 64 10. Thomas Luthi (Switzerland) Honda 48
Manufacturers standings: 1. Aprilia 177 2. Honda 148 3. KTM 19 4. Derbi 11 5. Malaguti 2
Bureau Report