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Dani Pedrosa stole pole for Sunday's Italian MotoGP after a late burst in qualifying knocked fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo to second.

World champion Valentino Rossi did not take part after breaking his shin bone in a crash in final practice and being ruled out for at least two months, all but ending his title hopes.

Lorenzo and fellow Spaniard Pedrosa occupied the top two places throughout qualifying, which ended with Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa grabbing his second pole of the season by 0.177sec in the very final minute.

Joining Pedrosa and Lorenzo on the front row will be 2009 Mugello winner Casey Stoner, but the Australian was left over 0.6sec from Pedrosa and is far from confident heading into Sunday’s race.

Stoner’s team-mate Nicky Hayden briefly split Lorenzo and Pedrosa on the eve of the final five minutes, but the American was then bumped back to a second row start in fourth – the same place he has finished at all three races so far this season.

The American will be joined on row two by a revitalised Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), with fellow satellite rider Randy de Puniet sixth for Honda LCR.

Edwards’ team-mate Ben Spies was the top rookie in seventh, and the first rider over one-second from Pedrosa, with new top Italian Dovizioso sure to be disappointed with eighth in front of his home fans.

By contrast, ninth was a very good result for Aleix Espargaro (Pramac), with fellow rookie Hiroshi Aoyama completing the top ten, after appearing as high as fifth heading into the last 15 minutes.

Former 250cc title rival Marco Simoncelli will start his first home MotoGP from eleventh, just ahead of countryman Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki).

Hector Barbera (Aspar Ducati), Marco Melandri (Gresini Honda), Mika Kallio (Pramac) and Alvaro Bautista (Suzuki) round out the reduced 16 rider grid.

FINAL TIMINGS:

1. Pedrosa (Esp, Honda): 1:48.819

2. Lorenzo (Esp, Yamaha) 1.48.996

3. Stoner (Aus, Ducati) 1:49.432

4. Hayden (USA, Ducati) 1:49.546

5. Edwards (USA, Yamaha) 1:49.683

6. De Puniet (Fra, Honda) 1:49.737

7. Spies (USA, Yamaha): 1:49.861

8. Dovizioso (Ita, Honda): 1:50.065

9. Espargaro (Esp, Ducati): 1:50.168

10. Aoyama (Jpn, Honda): 1:50.224

11. Simoncelli (Ita, Honda) 1:50.434

12. Capirossi (Ita, Suzuki): 1.50.479

13. Barbera (Esp, Ducati): 1:50.561

14. Melandri (Ita, Honda): 1:50.664

15. Kallio (Fin, Ducati): 1:50.970

16. Bautista (Spa, Suzuki): 1:53.243

- Rossi (Ita, Yamaha): DNS

Moto GP – Mugello

Races - Sunday 9.15am LIVE on British Eurosport 2 (Sky 411 / Virgin 525) & on the Eurosport Player.

Highlights - Sunday 6.15pm on British Eurosport & 9.30pm on British Eurosport 2 (Sky 411 / Virgin 525) & on the Eurosport Player.

Reuters