Image 8 of 21 from US MotoGP: Hayden leads American 1-2

The view up the hill of the main straight at the finish - it was a lot closer at the end than the middle race suggested

The view up the hill of the main straight at the finish - it was a lot closer at the end than the middle race suggested
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The realisation that a lifetime's dream has just come true - Hayden on the podium - keen judges suggest this will not be the only time Hayden greets the chequered flag first Colin Edwards, Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi on the victory dias at Laguna Seca The infamous corkscrew on the first lap - hayden is already gone, with Rossi, Bayliss, Biaggi, Melandri, Nakano and Edwards in pursuit Valentino Rossi congratulates Nicky hayden on his maiden pole position
Brad Pitt dropped into the Yamaha ... err, camp ... and met Colin and Alyssia Edwards Rossi chases Edwards during the middle stages of the race - Edwards local knowledge won the day The two best motorcycle roadracers the world has ever seen - Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi The view up the hill of the main straight at the finish - it was a lot closer at the end than the middle race suggested
Troy Bayliss qualified fourth and finished sixth and was very unhappy with his effort Makota Tamada was in the mix but continued a year where his results belie his immense ability Alex Barros in practice - his race was to last less than a lap Marco Melandri will be backing up next meeting for his third rider-to-rider scrap after tangling with Max Biaggi last meeting and Alex barros this time
Max Biaggi signing autographs at Laguna Seca During the middle race Hayden's margin grew quite large Sete Gibernau is now nearly four wins behind his rival Rossi Bayliss holds off Tamada for sixth and moves into the top 10 in the championship - 7 points in front of the person who replaced him in the Ducati team - Carlos Checa
The most instantly recognisable corner in MotoGP Sadly, Marco Melandri did not see the end of the race, as he would have certainly been amongst the points On the podium the very first time he saw Laguna Seca, Rossi will not be such easy pickings next time Well done to Nicky Hayden
Image 21 of 21 from US MotoGP: Hayden leads American 1-2
Article Summary
July 10, 2005 Americans Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards struck a major blow for the sport of motorcycle road racing when they finished 1-2 and demoted the world’s best rider into third spot at the Red Bull United States Grand Prix here today. In showcasing the world’s best motorcycle racing event to the American public, Hayden and Edwards did their home country proud and will surely have enhanced the prospects for greater acceptance and coverage of MotoGP in the world’s biggest and most important motorcycle marketplace. For Hayden, with a career just beginning and a rockstar’s good looks and persona, his first MotoGP win is expected by many to move him into the elite and make him a regular contender for the win. For Rossi, it was business as usual because although he finish in third place, he extended his points lead to 79 points, giving him a three race lead (at 25 points for a win) with nine races remaining in the title chase.

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