Capirossi continues to dominate in Assen.

Loris Capirossi continued his qualifying domination in Assen today, holding his overnight pole comfortably - despite a late charge by Max Biaggi and Valentino Rossi.

Man to beat from yesterday was Italian Capirossi, but his teammate Alex Barros who had been fastest in morning practice, ahead of Valentino Rossi and Kenny Roberts.

Capirossi continues to dominate in Assen.

Loris Capirossi continued his qualifying domination in Assen today, holding his overnight pole comfortably - despite a late charge by Max Biaggi and Valentino Rossi.

Man to beat from yesterday was Italian Capirossi, but his teammate Alex Barros who had been fastest in morning practice, ahead of Valentino Rossi and Kenny Roberts.

Meanwhile, of greater importance was that Chris Walker had suffered a huge crash in free practice, the Englishman apparently touching the grass with his back wheel at high speed sending him and his Shell Advance Honda machine flying through the air, leaving him unconscious after taking a hard knock on the head.

Walker was taken to Hospital, where he is believed to be OK, but is obviously in far from peak condition, and will doubtless miss tomorrow's race.

Another absentee will be Red Bull Honda's Garry McCoy, who has decided to withdraw after his broken wrist continued to cause him aggravation during yesterday's first qualifying.

Into this afternoon's one hour session and McCoy's teammate Noriyuki Haga suffered an almost identical crash to Walker, but was fortunately unharmed - despite the huge high-side that resulted from his back wheel losing traction as he ran clipped the grass while approaching a high-speed right hander.

20mins gone and the front row remained unchallenged as Capirossi, Rossi, Barros and Roberts had all yet to improve - while the sky began to darken threateningly.

Almost immediately Norick Abe dropped his Antena 3 Yamaha on the entry into a right-hand turn, sliding into a gravel trap, but he remounted and crawled back to the pits for repairs.

Kenny Roberts Jr. produced his best lap of the session as the half-way point approached, moving him up a place third, and within 0.356secs of Capirossi's pole time from yesterday, and demoting Barros to fourth - although he had also improved his personal best time.

Soon after Max Biaggi, sixth fastest yesterday, produced a strong lap on his Marlboro Yamaha to jump to third, just 0.264secs slower than pole.

But, with 20mins remaining, Capirossi fired a warning to the rest of the 500cc field by pushing pole a massive 0.705secs clear of Rossi, in second, with the Nastro Azzuro rider yet to improve.

Teammate Barros then made his mark with less than 15mins to go as he put the #4 Honda Pons machine up from fifth to second, but still 0.726secs away from his pace setting teammate. His next lap would be even quicker though, and Rossi soon found himself the victim of another West Honda Pons machine as he was pushed down to third, with the Brazilian now 0.5secs away from his teammate.

"The Doctor" took to the track to rearrange the timesheets inside the last ten minutes, and this time improved, to second, but was still nowhere near close to threatening Capirossi.

Next it was Biaggi's turn to shine as the Marlboro Yamaha man closed the gap to Capirossi with a lap 0.383secs slower than the pole time, and sending a warning to the West Honda Pons garage that pole was not yet decided.

Into the last 5mins and Capirossi responded to Biaggi's challenge by putting in yet another tidy flying lap, 0.201secs faster than his previous best, and leaving Biaggi over 0.5secs adrift once again.

Just over a minute to go and Rossi bumped Biaggi out of second - although taking pole was never in question, and the two Italians set out for their last lap almost together.

Biaggi was the first to break the timing beam - and moved back into second - just 0.133secs slower than Capirossi, while Rossi's lap was also a personal best - but was never going to threaten either of the top two.

Full results to follow...

1. Capirossi
2. Biaggi +0.133secs
3. Rossi +0.442secs
4. Barros +0.749secs
5. Nakano +0.903secs
6. Roberts +1.030secs
7. Checa +1.154secs
8. Abe +1.475secs

Read More