Crash puts Rossi in the clear

Italy's Valentino Rossi yesterday opened up a massive 96-point lead as the 500cc world championship now goes off for a four-week summer break but he had to come from behind to win the German grand prix at Sachsenring. It was his eighth win in nine races this season.

The world champion, riding a Honda, also laid to rest the demons that have plagued him on this difficult circuit with a dramatic win that was helped by a spectacular crash three laps from the finish.

Max Biaggi of Italy came in second on a Yamaha, with Rossi's Japanese team-mate Tohru Ukawa third before a crowd of 80,000 which lined the 3.7km course.

His seventh consecutive win puts him well clear after nine of the 16 races. Ukawa, the only rider to beat Rossi this season, lies second in the standings with 124 points with Biaggi third on 109.

"This was a gift for me," said Rossi, who came in a disappointing seventh here last year and was sixth in qualifying on Saturday, which left him with his worst grid position so far this season.

Victory aside, Rossi's greatest gift was presented when the leaders, Alex Barros of Brazil and the Frenchman Olivier Jacque, crashed on lap 27.

"I am bitterly disappointed," said Jacque. "Unfortunately Barros left his braking way too late. I lifted my bike up to let him through but he blocked his front end and shunted me off."

Barros apologised for the error that cost him and Jacque podium places. "I was having a great race and think I could have won," Barros said. "I turned too sharply into the corner and we hit each other because we both wanted to win."

Rossi was only a metre behind the pair but managed to avoid the crash, slipping by on the inside to reclaim the lead he had lost two laps earlier.

Despite a poor start, the 23-year-old had rallied from ninth place early in the race and worked his way through the field smoothly before taking the lead for the first time on lap 18.

In the 250cc race, Italy's Marco Melandri won despite crashing just before a cloud burst ended the race after 22 laps. Roberto Rolfo of Italy on a Honda was second and Argentina's Sebastian Porto, riding a Yamaha, was third.