Moto GP Qualifying

Valentino Rossi will be heading into turn one of the Valencia GP from pole position this afternoon.

Rossi took pole yesterday by nearly a quarter of a second from the suprise package of the weekend, Troy Bayliss aboard the Desmosidici Ducati, with his team mate Loris Capirossi completing the front row.

Nicky Hayden will have to battle his way through from fifth on the grid to challenge Rossi for the 2006 title. Hayden’s joined on the second row by Shinya Nakano racking up an impressive fourth for Kawasaki and Dani Pedrosa sitting alongside the Kentucky Kid in sixth.

This mornings warm up was a different story however with Nicky Hayden clocking the second fastest time behind LCR Honda’s Casey Stoner.

Valentino Rossi completed the morning warm up languishing down in a suprise 11th position.

Britains James Ellsion will start the GP from 19th ahead of Gary McCoy aboard the Ilmor after the Tech 3 Yamaha rider took a fall in qualifying yesterday.

Qualifying Classification

1. Valentino Rossi 1.31.002

2. Troy Bayliss

3. Loris Capirossi

4. Shinya Nakano

5. Nicky Hayden

6. Dani Pedrosa

7. Casey Stoner

8. Chris Vermulen

9. John Hopkins

10. Colin Edwards

11. Randy De Puniet

12. Marco Melandri

13. Toni Elias

14. Kenny Roberts Jnr

15. Makoto Tamada

16. Carlos Checa

17. Alex Hofmann

18. Jose Luis Cardoso

19. James Ellison

20. Gary McCoy