Stoner takes Valencia pole

Reuters - Sat, 07 Nov 12:54:00 2009

Australian Casey Stoner has secured pole position for the Valencia GP after continuing to dominate the times on the final weekend of the MotoGP season.

MOTORCYCLING 2009 - Australia's Casey Stoner rides during the free practice session of the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring - 0

Ducati rider Casey Stoner maintained his excellent end of season form to clinch pole position for the Valencia Grand Prix.

The Australian, who missed three races with a mystery illness before coming back last month to win at home at Phillip Island and in Malaysia, clocked the fastest lap of 1:32:256 at the season-ending event in Spain.

Honda's Dani Pedrosa was second fastest on 1:32:519 ahead of Spanish compatriot Jorge Lorenzo (1:32:537) and Lorenzo's Yamaha team-mate and world champion Valentino Rossi in fourth (1:32:922).

Rossi clinched his second successive MotoGP title in Malaysia, the Italian's seventh in the premier class and his ninth motorcycling championship overall including his triumphs in the 125cc and 250cc categories.

Stoner is third in the championship standings on 220 points and trails second-placed Lorenzo by 25, the amount a rider is awarded for a race victory. Pedrosa is fourth on 209.

Champion Julian Simon was quickest in 125cc qualifying with a time of 1:41:472.

Watch highlights from the Valencia GP from at 8am Sunday on British Eurosport 2 (Sky 411 / Virgin Media 525); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe

Reuters

Comment 5 - 24 of 24

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  1. Casey is an awesome talent. He did get to Vale, (in an­ off year). But then Vale got to him. Not any more.
    But­ you have to say that Valencia was rider error despite­ the fuel-saving tactics. A man of Casey's­ experience would know he had colder tyres at that­ stage, plus running slow on the dirty bits of the­ track.
    When I see Vale fall off I usually look to see­ if he has taken risks when the risk of injury is less­ probable. And it often looks that way. It is not all­ luck that has allowed Vale to be on every starting­ grid. Casey has not been so lucky (but see above).

    From Mr Red, on Mon 9 Nov 3:25PM

  2. "demi162"
    I can only agree 100% with you!
    And­ no... Rossi 's skills is no luck by any means. But­ the bad luck of both his main rivals (mainly bad luck­ for Stoner, as for Lorenzo you can argue that it was­ his mistakes) IS certainly a good luck for him!

    From kaveiros75, on Sun 8 Nov 12:25PM

  3. abdes its not luck that rossi has its skill and ive­ been watching for just as long as u have and as for­ doohan plz the record books speak for them selfs so­ plzz do us all a fav and shut up

    From mick p, on Sun 8 Nov 11:05AM

  4. daniel.scheuer
    what the hell are you thinking, I've­ been following the sport well before you have and never­ seen someone as lucky as your rossi. everything seemed­ to have come his own way. never competed against an­ able rider until stoner came around. he's never had­ a worthy opponent as doohan exited the sport before­ your childish hero entered the top flight. then he­ started reaping championships and records so easily­ during a blank period with no real opposition to put up­ a real fight (for god's sake do no argue using­ these names "sete" and "max"). now­ that there are lorenzo and stoner, look at the hell­ they are making him live in. but ounce more luck­ strikes and lorenzo had a streak of bad luck and stoner­ rode for a long time with 50 percent off his full­ fitness before missing 3 in a row. please notice that­ by the end of this chamionship, rossi would have won 6­ races, lorenzo 4 and stoner 5 (and still finish third­ in the standings). now despite all his contenders­ mishaps, rossi didn't manage to win untill the last­ race but one so imagine stoner never fell ill and­ lorenzo stayed on his bike more oft then not, would­ your hero be world champ this easily? not a chance sir,­ not a chance.

    From abdes, on Sun 8 Nov 10:52AM

  5. Just wondering, what exactly has Casey been moaning­ about this weekend? Comparing any rider to Rossi, with­ his record and achievements is pretty unfair on­ anyone.I do think that perhaps he isnt so liked because­ he is capable of just running away with the­ Championship next year (the last two races may have­ been 'boring' but what is Casey supposed to do,­ get off and wait?), and perhaps what everyone is seeing­ as 'moaning' is just an attempt at offering an­ insight into what he and his team are doing/dealing­ with to make the interview process somewhat bareable?­ Not everyone can be so entertaining as Rossi.If Stoner­ hadnt gotten sick this year, it'd probably be the­ decider race this weekend, Laguna may have shown­ Rossi's greatness, but Stoner has been closer than­ anyone to matching him in the last three seasons. Go­ Stoner, and Rossi as well!

    From demi162, on Sun 8 Nov 9:40AM

  6. "Dear"
    bafour 007! Here are the Rossi fans.­ what the f---k are you talking about? Do you watch­ another championship? i've been watching the moto­ gp since 1996 and i saw how Vale won 9 championship and­ 103 races. And i watched the last 4 races and the­ biggest event was that Rossi won his 9th championship.­ Oh pardon and Stoner won 2 very boring races in a­ row...this is the achivment LOL. The race in Laguna­ Seca in the last year showed what's the difference­ between Rossi and Stoner except the motor(the ducati­ was better than yamaha). The talent. Stoner really­ would like to be the next Rossi but unfortunately he­ won't be. LOL

    From daniel.scheuer, on Sun 8 Nov 1:58AM

  7. Moaner Stoner......... Oh! i got pole and will­ probably­ win the race but i don't have grip and my­ bike is­ rubbish, also i feel weak, Moaning @#$% will­ he ever be­ Happy, makes Danny look like Mr Happy­ now..........

    From DC, on Sun 8 Nov 12:23AM

  8. Moaner Stoner does it again, wonder whats up with his­ bike this week ???, why is he never happy, never make a­ good champ, not like Rossi.....

    From DC, on Sun 8 Nov 12:14AM

  9. aaaaand where is captain kirk? there is a whole field­ of beetroots waiting to be shoved up his bottom. To­ everybody's surprise, he's gonna ask for­ mooooooooooore

    From kingleo, on Sat 7 Nov 11:54PM

  10. oooooooooooooooh where are all the rossi fans? not good­ news for them today? as a matter of fact no goog news­ for them over the last four races. lol lol lol

    From kingleo, on Sat 7 Nov 11:51PM

  11. its about time captin jerk of sorry captin kirk whent­ away for a bit and played with his enterprise toys i­ think he wants the real kirk up his bum

    From D, on Sat 7 Nov 10:01PM

  12. rossi to win

    From John, on Sat 7 Nov 9:53PM

  13. ITS COWLED TADAY ISNT AT? ME WEE PECKARS SHRIVALLED UP­ INTAY NATHAN. TERRABOL BAZNASS

    From Donney, on Sat 7 Nov 4:02PM

  14. BO NAR

    From Donney, on Sat 7 Nov 4:02PM

  15. I OM A STONAR OND A HAV A MASSEVE.....WILLAY. HAHAHAHA.

    From Donney, on Sat 7 Nov 4:01PM

  16. MAY GAWD A STONAR IS LEADANG DA MORTARBEEKS. I USED TAY­ DRIVE ME MOTARBEEK STANED AFF ME FACKIN FACE.

    From Donney, on Sat 7 Nov 4:01PM

  17. Cool!
    I am a Stoner too... lol

    From Nikolay, on Sat 7 Nov 3:50PM

  18. beetroots are continuously being shoved all the way up­ captain kirk's bottom and he asks for more

    From kingleo, on Sat 7 Nov 2:56PM

  19. ha ha ha, stoner continues to shve betroots up­ kirk's bottom. and kirk loves it

    From kingleo, on Sat 7 Nov 2:53PM

  20. hope its sorted before the races tomorrow!!!!

    From SUSAN, on Sat 7 Nov 2:35PM
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