Bradl grabs first MotoGP pole by German rider

MONTEREY, California: Stefan Bradl became the first German rider to win a MotoGP pole, edging rookie Marc Marquez, who crashed late in qualifying, at the US Grand Prix on Saturday.
Bradl posted a top lap time of one minute, 21.176 seconds, finishing just 17 thousandths of a second quicker than Marquez, whose challenge was cut short by a crash on turn six at Laguna Seca.
Defending MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa qualified sixth and seventh, respectively, after suffering injuries in crashes last week in Germany.
Bradl is not only the first German pole-sitter but he is the second MotoGP rider to claim a maiden pole this season.
“It’s really nice to be on the pole,” said Honda’s Bradl. “It was one of the best laps I had ever done. I put a lot of effort into this qualifying because I knew it was going to be tough.
“I had a clear track with my second tire and I just went for it. I was really happy, especially with the last section which I think I was doing really fast.”
The 23-year-old from Augsburg finished seventh after starting ninth on the grid at last year’s US Grand Prix.
“It’s really nice to be here and I will enjoy it. For sure, it will be a little bit different for tomorrow, but we know we have the pace and we will keep going,” he said.
Bradl will start alongside Marquez and Alvaro Bautista in an all-Honda front row.
Bradl, the 2011 Moto2 world champion, claimed his first ever MotoGP front row spot just two races ago when he qualified third at Assen.
Marquez, 20, spilled his bike just four minutes before the qualifying session ended.The Spaniard posted the fastest times in three of the four practice sessions.
The second row includes Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow.
The second row also features Lorenzo who is still suffering from the effects of a broken left collarbone. The injury forced him to miss last weekend’s German Grand Prix.
Pedrosa also skipped the Sachsenring race with a collarbone injury but he was able to qualify on row three for the Laguna Seca race.
Sunday’s race marks the halfway point of the MotoGP season.

Italian dies in Superbike crash
Meantime, the Russian Superbike Grand Prix due to take place in Moscow was canceled on Sunday after Italian rider Andrea Antonelli died following an accident, Russian police said.
“The Italian (Antonelli) rider died as a result of his injuries,” a police official told the RIA Novosti news agency.
The source said that three riders had been involved in the accident.
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport said the accident happened on the first lap as the 25-year-old Antonelli lost control of his Kawasaki and was hit by compatriot Lorenzo Zanetti.
Emergency services were quickly on the scene, according to Gazzetta, but Antonelli never regained consciousness.