Rossi wins Czech race after Stoner crashes

Valentino Rossi of Italy won the Czech MotoGP yesterday after world champion Casey Stoner crashed out early in the race.

Ducati rider Toni Elias of Spain took second, 15 seconds behind the leader, and Italian Loris Capirossi was third on his Suzuki.

Stoner, after winning pole on Saturday in wet conditions, crashed his Ducati rounding a corner on the sixth lap, leaving Yamaha's Rossi alone at the front for the final 16 laps.

Australian Stoner had posted the best lap times in practice sessions on the 5.4-km circuit.

Rossi, who has won seven world titles and extended his lead over Stoner in the championship with yesterday's win, said racing alone had been difficult.

"Every corner I thought this situation is difficult, but if Stoner doesn't crash it is a lot more difficult," Rossi said.

Rossi's first win at Brno since 2005 doubled his lead over Stoner to 50 points in the championship standings, with six races remaining.

"It's a great advantage (to have a 50-point lead)," Rossi said. "(But with) six races, with a driver like Stoner who demonstrates a fantastic speed everywhere and in every condition...it's not enough, but for sure better than 25."

Rossi now has 237 points to Stoner's 187. Honda rider Dani Pedrosa of Spain, who finished 15th in the race, has 172 points in third place.

With Rossi alone at the front, the riders battled for the other podium spots for much of the race before Elias and Capirossi pulled away in the second half after surging from the 13th and ninth starting positions respectively.

"Yesterday was very difficult," said Elias, who captured the fourth podium of his career. "(So) I started from the back... I passed many riders during the race and was finally in second and comfortable with my rhythm."

Honda's Shinya Nakano of Japan and Kawasaki's Anthony West of Australia finished fourth and fifth.

Last year's race runner-up, American John Hopkins on a Kawasaki, finished 11th after starting from the front row.

Frenchman Randy de Puniet crashed his Honda but resumed the race to finish with the slowest time.