Moto2: Elias wins again in Moto2
Toni Elias stretched his Moto2 championship lead by escaping from the pack to win his fourth race of the season at Brno
The Gresini rider emerged on top after a long battle with Andrea Iannone and Roby Rolfo, the latter eventually retiring, and Iannone dropping back to third behind the charging Yuki Takahashi.
The early stages had seen a remarkable battle for the lead, with 21 riders within five seconds of each other and regularly three and four abreast during the opening five laps.
But once Iannone hit the front, he began to edge away from the pack - as he has done on so many occasions this year. Keen not to let the Italian get away, Elias took second from Jules Cluzel and quickly hunted down Iannone, bringing Rolfo with him.
After several attempts and a series of side by side place exchanges, Elias managed to get through into the lead on lap 14, with Rolfo immediately passing Iannone as well.
Rolfo then attacked Elias for the lead, getting through briefly when the ex-MotoGP man slid wide at the first corner. But Elias reclaimed first place within half a lap, and next time around Rolfo's bike suddenly slowed, ending his challenge for a first Moto2 win.
That left Elias free to win by 2.3 seconds, while Iannone suddenly had his hands full with the flying Takahashi, who had passed a slowing Cluzel with a neat round-the-outside move shortly beforehand. The Japanese rider took advantage of a slight slip under braking by Iannone to dive through and claim the runner-up spot.
Cluzel resisted Julian Simon, Gabor Talmacsi and Alex Debon - the latter one of several men who had led in the early shuffles - to take fourth.
Pos Rider Bike Time/Gap
1. Toni Elias Moriwaki 41m51.715s
2. Yuki Takahashi Tech 3 + 2.312s
3. Andrea Iannone Speed Up + 2.959s
4. Jules Cluzel Suter + 6.905s
5. Julian Simon Suter + 6.974s
6. Gabor Talmacsi Speed Up + 7.024s
7. Alex Debon FTR + 7.808s
8. Simone Corsi Motobi + 11.691s
9. Stefan Bradl Suter + 15.958s
10. Shoya Tomizawa Suter + 15.974s
11. Thomas Luthi Moriwaki + 16.486s
12. Hector Faubel Suter + 16.490s
13. Fonsi Nieto Moriwaki + 19.426s
14. Sergio Gadea Pons Kalex + 20.130s
15. Raffaele de Rosa Tech 3 + 20.227s
16. Dominique Aegerter Suter + 20.233s
17. Alex Baldolini ICP + 25.738s
18. Anthony West MZ-RE + 27.526s
19. Xavier Simeon Moriwaki + 27.711s
20. Mike di Meglio Suter + 28.895s
21. Ratthapark Wilairot Bimota + 36.263s
22. Scott Redding Suter + 44.281s
23. Yonny Hernandez BQR + 46.446s
24. Ricard Cardus Bimota + 47.620s
25. Axel Pons Pons Kalex + 47.798s
26. Claudio Corti Suter + 47.966s
27. Vladimir Ivanov Moriwaki + 48.499s
28. Niccolo Canepa Suter + 51.993s
29. Robertino Pietri Suter + 52.243s
30. Mashel Al Naimi BQR + 53.151s
31. Joan Olive Promoharris + 53.478s
32. Valentin Debise ADV + 1m00.080s
33. Yannick Guerra Moriwaki + 1m08.242s
Retirements:
Roberto Rolfo Suter 14 laps
Yusuke Teshima Motobi 12 laps
Lukas Pesek Moriwaki 9 laps
Patrik Vostarek Suter 2 laps
Kenny Noyes Promoharris 1 lap
Arne Tode Suter 0 laps
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