Stoner secures pole in Valencia

Valencia MotoGP
Date: 7-8 November
Saturday 7 November: Qualifying: 1150-1500, BBC Red Button/online
Sunday 8 November: 125 & 250 cc: 0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online;
MotoGP: 1230-1400, BBC Two/online; MotoGP Extra 1400-1430, BBC Red Button/online

Casey Stoner kept up his spectacular end-of-season form by taking pole position for the Valencia MotoGP.

The Australian, who has earned two wins in three races since his mid-season lay-off because of sickness, came home ahead of Dani Pedrosa.

Jorge Lorenzo, lies second in the standings championship with Stoner, was third fastest.

New world champion Valentino Rossi was fourth with American wild card rider Ben Spies in ninth place.

Stoner, who won the race from pole last year and also set the lap record, moved to the top of the standings just eight minutes into the session and only Lorenzo ever threatened to challenge him.

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Afterwards, Stoner said the weather had made things more difficult than it looked.

"The wind made it very difficult to find a decent set-up," he said.

"If it dies away on Sunday it might make it even more difficult, because we're trying to set up a bike to handle the wind and if it disappears it'll be hard.

"All three sessions have gone really well for us - we're not exactly where we want to be lap-time wise, but in the morning we'll make a couple of minor adjustments to make sure things are going in the right direction."

The Ducati rider lies third in the championship standings 25 points behind Lorenzo and could still snatch second place from him if he wins the race and Lorenzo fails to score a point.

In the 125cc race, newly crowned world champion Julian Simon took pole ahead of Simone Corsi and Britain's Bradley Smith.

Danny Webb and Scott Redding both crashed in qualifying but are expected to be fit to race on Sunday.

And in the race for the 250cc title, Hiroshi Aoyama could only qualify in fifth place, while his closest rival Marco Simoncelli was second fastest behind Alex Debon.

Valencia MotoGP qualifying result:

1 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 1min 32.256secs
2 D Pedrosa (Spn) Honda 1:32.519
3 J Lorenzo (Spn) Fiat Yamaha 1:32.537
4 V Rossi (Ita) Fiat Yamaha 1:32.922
5 C Edwards (US) Tech 3 Yamaha 1:33.085
6 N Hayden (US) Ducati 1:33.154
7 R de Puniet (Fr) Honda 1:33.391
8 T Elias (Spn) Honda 1:33.475
9 B Spies (US) Yamaha 1:33.539
10 A Dovizioso (It) Honda 1:33.678
11 M Kallio (Fin) Ducati 1:33.809
12 A de Angelis (SM) Honda 1:33.844
13 L Capirossi (Ita) Suzuki 1:34.097
14 J Toseland (GB) Tech 3 Yamaha 1:34.107
14 M Melandri (It) Kawasaki 1:34.188
15 A Espargaro (Sp) Pramac Honda 1'34.308
16 G Talmacsi (Hng) Honda 1'34.357
17 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 1'34.537

250cc race qualifying result:

1 A Debon (Spn) Aprilia 1min 36.166secs
2 M Simoncelli (Ita) Aprilia 1:36.450
3 H Barbera (Spn) Aprilia 1:36.470

125cc qualifying result:

1 J Simon (Spn) Aprilia 1min 41.472secs
2 S Corsi (Ita) Aprilia 1:41.476
3 B Smith (GB) Aprilia 1:41.830

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