World Supersport, Valencia: Crutchlow Blazes to Second Pole

Britain’s Cal Crutchlow scored his second pole position in three races in qualifying for tomorrow’s World Supersport race at Valencia.

The 23-year-old factory Yamaha rider bounced to the front with less than two minutes remaining in the 45-minute session with a lap in 1m 35.865s.

This made him the only rider in the 1.35s bracket, as Joan Lascorz, the 24-year-old Spaniard who looked set to scoop pole, was unable to respond on his Kawasaki and finished 0.168s adrift on 1m 36.033s.

Anthony West finished third best on his Stiggy Honda, and Katsuaki Fujiwara completed the front of the grid on his Kawasaki.

Championship leader Andrew Pitt pitched his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda into the gravel no less than three times, but still claimed ninth fastest, with a lap in 1m 37.063s.

Eugene Laverty had realistic hopes of claiming a front-row position until he binned his Yamaha after only 15 minutes. He reappeared later, but was unable to lap faster than 1m 37.403s – 13th best – which places him on the fourth row for tomorrow’s race.