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Sunday February 8, 2009

Motorcycle Racing: Stoner tops Sepang timesheets

KUALA LUMPUR: When the first MotoGP testing for the year concluded yesterday, it was Ducati’s Casey Stoner who sat proudly atop the Sepang timesheets.

Stoner set the pace on the third and final day of testing yesterday, clocking 2:01.043 on the last of his 38 laps at the Sepang Circuit.

Sight to behold: Ducati rider Casey Stoner getting some attention from a female team member as he prepares for a pre-season test ride at Sepang yesterday. — AFP

Having complained of persistent pain in his wrist, which hindered him in the second-half of the 2008 season, and is still recovering from the corrective surgery he underwent in November, the Australian kept his workload to a minimum but was still quick enough to end the day 0.094 seconds ahead of rival Valentino Rossi.

Indeed, Yamaha star Rossi and his compatriot Loris Capirossi of Suzuki were both on the pace again, having also featured in the top three on Thursday and Friday.

Capirossi clocked 0.219 seconds behind former team-mate Stoner.

Also in good form over the three days in Sepang was Tech 3 Yamaha’s Colin Edwards, coming in fourth quickest on the new Yamaha M1, which he debuted on Thursday.

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