Motorcycling: Pedrosa takes pole at Italian MotoGP

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Motorcycling: Pedrosa takes pole at Italian MotoGP

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Dani Pedrosa took pole position ahead of Jorge Lorenzo in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix.

15 July,2012 03:54 am

In-form Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa will start from pole in Sundays Italian MotoGP after posting the fastest time in qualifying here on Saturday.The 26-year-old Honda star - who won last Sundays German MotoGP - will start ahead of series leader and compatriot Jorge Lorenzo, on a Yamaha, while another Spaniard, Hector Barbera, is third on the grid on a Ducati.It is Pedrosas 39th pole position of his career - the 21st in this category.His Australian team-mate and defending world champion Casey Stoner, who crashed when set for at least second place on the last lap of the German MotoGP, was fifth fastest.Pedrosa, who is second in the standings, battled it out with Lorenzo for most of the session but it was to end in disappointment for the latter when he had to come in early on the last lap.Lorenzo, who leads Pedrosa by 26 points in the standings, said: In the lap before the last I felt a loss of power in some corners. On the final lap I was red until the last corner then I felt the power drop much more so I had to enter the pits and stop, said Lorenzo,I made some good laps, although not completely perfect and I felt I could make a better one. Its going to be a very tough race for everyone so we have to stay calm and save some energy for the end.Barbera achieved his best result in this category so far, outperforming the two official Ducati entries of Italian legend Valentino Rossi, who was only 10th fastest, and Nicky Hayden, who was fourth quickest.Stoner was disappointed by his performance which means he failed to make the front row of the grid for only the second time this season.