Roberts was fastest on lap 2 but Max was still out in front. As they commenced lap 3 Biaggi led from Roberts, Checa, Criville, Abe, Barros, Rossi, Capirossi, McCoy. But halfway around the lap Max lost the rear and headed off in to the dirt, handing Roberts the lead. Kenny had 1.3 seconds on Checa and Criville as they started lap 4.

Roberts had 1.6 seconds by lap 6, Checa did not look too comfortable with the Yamaha but Criville looks smooth and may be the danger man for Kenny. As I wrote that sentence Criville took Checa for 2^nd but was not yet closing on Roberts, they crossed the line with Kenny 2.2 seconds in front. Rossi starting to threaten Checa for 4^th. McCoy is 7 seconds back in 8^th with 20 laps to go.

Roberts seem to be maintaining a 2 second gap over Criville who was laying a few darkies out of the corners in his efforts to try and close up on Kenny.

Lap 9 – Roberts, Criville, Abe, Rossi, Checa, Barros, Capirossi, McCoy. Kenny is still has 2 seconds on Criville who is in a close bunch with Abe and Rossi. All the Honda men seem to be having trouble getting the power down with the bikes looking as though they want to swap ends on the exits. Kenny is on hard tyres and Criville is on mediums but Roberts seems to have much more grip. Alex is spinning that thing up everywhere, not really getting it sideways but still spinning it right up all the same.

McCoy passed Capirossi for 7^th with 14 laps to go and started closing on Checa, who had been passed by Barros.

Criville finally started eating in to Roberts’ lead with 13 laps to go, down to 1.7 seconds. Alex had the gap down to 1.3 seconds a lap later and was dragging Abe and Rossi with him.

Kenny had a huge crash in qualifying yesterday and hurt his leg quite badly.  The pain was starting to slow him down and allow Alex to close the gap, which was down to a couple of bike lengths with 10 laps to go, Abe right behind him. Criville got inside Roberts at the end of the main straight , Abe followed him through a few corners later and started challenging Criville for the lead. Alex seems to have more grip now than he did earlier in the race. Rossi seems to be carrying great speed in to the corners but the rear still seems to be giving him problems as he gets on the power.

With 8 laps to go Criville and Abe opened up a slight gap on Roberts and Rossi. McCoy got past Checa and up in to 6^th. Abe is thinking of sticking it under Alex at a few spots on the track, Rossi took 3^rd position from Roberts with 7 laps to go, a few corners later Abe took the lead from Criville who was unsettled by the Japanese Yamaha riders pass and fell back a little to be threatened by Valentino Rossi. Alex seems to be having trouble getting on the power again with the bike spinning before gripping, this put the bike in to regular little wheelies out of the corners. Rossi tried to put a pass on Criville on lap 23 while McCoy was starting to challenge Barros for 5^th.

A lap later Criville had pulled out a little ground on Rossi and closed right up on Abe but still nobody had gone faster than Biaggi went very early in the race before crashing out. Roberts had been relegated back to 7^th and was obviously suffering from some sort of problem (see quotes). Abe, Criville and Rossi are going to have to decide this by themselves.

With 2 laps to go Criville started looking for a place to put a pass on Abe but didn’t really look as though he had the speed to make a move stick. Abe looks very smooth and in control even though he has Criville right up his exhaust.

Final lap – Criville had a huge wheelie over the hill and then slid the machine under Abe in to the next corner, awesome. Alex is now protecting his line but will the Japanese pilot risk a kamikaze to get past. Alex crosses the line 1^st and pulls a lovely one handed wheelie to celebrate. Abe a disappointed 2^nd, Rossi did the best mono to celebrate his 3^rd & McCoy 4^th.