Spain's Alex Criville riding a Honda won the 500cc Italian motorcycling grand prix in Mugello yesterday, his third successive grand prix win, to extend his lead in the overall standings in a cat-and-mouse finish with Italy's Max Biaggi.
The pair swapped the lead throughout the race with Biaggi's Yamaha sensationally taking the lead with half a lap to go.
However, Criville sensationally slipped through on the penultimate turn to become the first European to win this event since England's Barry Sheen in 1976 and the first rider apart from injured Australian teammate Michael Doohan to win three in a row since Doohan's compatriot Wayne Gardner achieved that feat in 1988.
"The most important thing was that I won here. I had some problems and my tyres did not have much grip but I'm so happy because this is my third victory this year," Criville said afterwards.
Italy's Valentino Rossi won the 250cc event, although the race was overshadowed by reigning world champion Loris Capirossi's disqualification for dangerous riding.
Aprilia's Rossi, winning his second race of the season, beat Germany's Ralf Waldmann, who held off Tohru Ukawa of Japan on a Honda. Ukawa still leads the overall standings.
Capirossi was black-flagged after he crashed into pole-position qualifier Marcelo Lucchi. He did not respond to the black flag.
