Brno, Aug 17: Max Biaggi outclasses Italian rival Valentino Rossi in the first qualifying practice ahead of Sunday's Czech MotoGP. World champion Valentino Rossi fought off a tough challenge from Spaniard Sete Gibernau on Saturday to take pole position for the Czech Grand Prix. Typically, the Italian championship leader left it until the last seconds of the session before registering the quickest time of one minute 58.769 seconds on his Honda. Gibernau, 29 points behind his fellow Honda rider Rossi in the standings, repelled a late charge by Italian Max Biaggi to finish second fastest in a time of 1:58.899. Biaggi, who crashed his Honda into the gravel early in the final practice session, will line up third on the grid for Sunday's race after recording a time of 1:58.908 on the 3.36-mile (5-km) Masaryk Ring circuit.


Earlier Japan's Shinya Nakano has been taken to hospital with concussion after hitting barriers in morning free practice for the Czech Grand Prix. The 25-year-old Yamaha rider, who clocked the eighth fastest time in Friday's first qualifying session for Sunday's MotoGP race, crashed after his bike high-sided and flipped to the air in the first turn after the home straight.


The circuit's medical representatives said Nakano was conscious but further checks needed to be made at Brno hospital.


Championship Manuel Poggiali set pole position in the 250cc category with Randy de Puniet second fastest. Fonsi Nieto, just three points behind Poggiali in the championship, was third fastest. The session was ended a few minutes early when Australia's Anthony West crashed and fractured his ankle. He is expected to line up for the start on Sunday, but the sudden end of the session deprived the front riders of some of their fastest times.


In the 125cc session Alex de Angelis was fastest with Steve Jenkner of Germany second and Luca Cecchinello third.


Leading grid positions for Sunday's Czech motorcycling Grand Prix after final qualifying on Saturday:


MotoGP 1. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Honda 1 minute 58.769 seconds 2. Sete Gibernau (Spain) Honda 1:58.899 3. Max Biaggi (Italy) Honda 1:58.908 4. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Ducati 1:58.916 5. Carlos Checa (Spain) Yamaha 1:59.295 6. Troy Bayliss (Australia) Ducati 1:59.373 7. Nicky Hayden (U.S.) Honda 1:59.432 8. Tohru Ukawa (Japan) Honda 1:59.629 9. Alex Barros (Brazil) Yamaha 1:59.765 10. Makoto Tamada (Japan) Honda 2:00.145


250cc 1. Manuel Poggiali (San Marino) Aprilia 2:03.872 2. Randy de Puniet (France) Aprilia 2:03.920 3. Fonsi Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 2:04.037 4. Toni Elias (Spain) Aprilia 2:04.088 5. Franco Battaini (Italy) Aprilia 2:04.233 6. Roberto Rolfo (Italy) Honda 2:04.413 7. Sylvain Guintoli (France) Aprilia 2:04.663 8. Anthony West (Australia) Aprilia 2:04.771 9. Naoki Matsudo (Japan) Yamaha 2:04.909 10. Sebastian Porto (Argentina) Honda 2:05.054


125cc 1. Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Aprilia 2:08.100 2. Steve Jenkner (Germany) Aprilia 2:08.330 3. Lucio Cecchinello (Italy) Aprilia 2:08.421 4. Daniel Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 2:08.562 5. Stefano Perugini (Italy) Aprilia 2:08.755 6. Pablo Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 2:08.817 7. Thomas Luthi (Switzerland) Honda 2:08.857 8. Gabor Talmacsi (Hungary) Aprilia 2:09.253 9. Hector Barbera (Spain) Aprilia 2:09.268 10. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 2:09.322


Bureau Report