Spain’s Marc Marquez yesterday topped the times in the third practice session for the Aragon MotoGP with Valentino Rossi 10th on his return three weeks after leg surgery.
Rossi is back on his Yamaha in double quick time after an operation on the leg fractures he sustained in a training crash at the end of last month.
The nine-time world champion finished almost a second adrift of reigning MotoGP champion Marquez, who shares the lead in the 2017 title race with Andrea Dovizioso.
Photo: EPA
However, the 38-year-old, who limped to his bike, did enough to make it into the second qualifying session, proving he is not in Aragon to make up the numbers.
Rossi defied medical forecasts in returning for this race after missing San Marino last weekend.
He is placed fourth in the world championship table, 42 points behind Marquez and Dovizioso with five races remaining.
Dani Pedrosa, who emerged quickest at the end of Friday’s two practice sessions held in damp conditions, came in third with Rossi’s teammate Maverick Vinales splitting the Honda duo.
Marquez led the third session by three tenths of a second on a contrasting dry circuit compared to Friday.
“I’m quite happy, because I feel comfortable on the bike,” said Rossi on Friday. “The leg, after two practice sessions, is in a good condition, I don’t feel a lot of pain.”
“For sure on the wet it’s a bit easier, because it’s less demanding to ride the bike, but I hope we will have better weather conditions tomorrow and on Sunday, in order to try to understand my level on the dry and also so we can work on the setting and the tires.”
Rossi made a tentative start to the opening session on rain tires, before completing 13 laps in the second stint to end up 20th on the combined timesheets.
Spanish teammate Maverick Vinales was 17th.
“We didn’t know what to expect from Rossi on this first day of riding, but the wet conditions gave him a smooth transition coming back from injury,” team director Massimo Meregalli said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care