1st Bradley Smith 1.43.329 (19 laps):
“I was a little worried because I could see a lot of traffic on track and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get a clear last lap. Luckily I got a couple of good slipstreams and was able to overtake in the right places, which helped me take pole. It was a tough job and I had to give it everything on the final lap but nothing is easy here – it’s a World Championship. The bike is working well here and the chassis is awesome so I hope we can benefit from it agian tomorrow. The four at the front are very close so it will be important not to lose any ground at the start. I want to thank the team because they’ve done an awesome job, especially in qualifying. Like I say i think it will be between the same four riders tomorrow but I don’t want to think about the others – just give my best and see what happens.”

Instead the Bancaja Aspar Team rider gets his kicks from triathlon – a sport that forms the basis of his training schedule and his only passion away from motorcycles. “Racing bikes is my main passion, I live for it, but immediately behind it is triathlon. It is three sports in one and they all give me the physical and mental preparation I need to race bikes.” Ever since meeting his personal trainer, Mark, in 2007 he has honed his competitive edge in triathlon as part of a daily routine geared purely towards glory.

An alert, hyperactive person, Bradley couldn’t sit still for a minute even if he wanted to. Racing pumps through his veins to the point where he constantly seems to be cycling clear of the peloton. On the racetrack he battles with his rivals, in the triathlons he races against himself. “I compete in triathlons because I am a competitive person and it is my escape from the World Championship paddock. Whenever I compete in a triathlon I give it my best but it’s nice because I’m not under any pressure. I really enjoy myself.” More than a hobby, competing in triathlon is a way of life – swimming, cycling and running keep him in peak physical condition and mentally alert. “Triathlon helps me to control my training, nutrition and recovery.”

That said, the Oxfordshire teenager never loses sight of his main focus and the fact that the most important thing for him is to dedicate himself 110% to racing motorcycles, despite the passion for triathlon that pulses through his veins. He fits his seven races (3 duathlons and 4 triathlons) around his World Championship commitments and finds gaps in the MotoGP calendar to spend time with his family away from the track. “Triathlon gives me the opportunity to visit nice places, like this year I went to Alpe d’Huez. In the paddock everybody needs things from you but at the triathlons I’m just another person and I love that – it helps me keep my feet on the ground.”

As well as competing in the Alpe d’Huez this summer he also entered the famous London event between the races in Germany and Czech Republic. Instead of packing his bermuda shorts and towel, like the majority of his 125cc rivals, Bradley headed off with his swimsuit, bicycle and running shoes to contest one of the most demanding events in Europe. The French race featured a 1.2km swim, a 30km ride around the lung-busting slopes of the Alpe d´Huez followed by a 7km run at 2,000m altitude. The following weekend he was in his country’s capital for his next challenge. “When you go to a triathlon you experience a totally pure atmosphere, everybody is the same and there are no differences. Everybody suffers the same and there is a spirit of companionship that is hard to find anywhere else. Everybody is happy for each other, the people cheer you in the streets… I love it. It takes me to another dimension and I escape from everything else. This is the true meaning of a holiday and a break for me.”

Now he is back on track for Grand Prix glory and his triathlon exploits must wait for another day. The hardest part of the season is nigh, with trips to Japan, Malaysia and Australia on the horizon. The Bancaja Aspar rider is safe in the knowledge that he is physically prepared. “I think my triathlon training gives me an edge over the rest of the competition in the class, I never feel exhausted at the end of a race no matter how hard the conditions are.”

Bradley doesn’t seem to know if he is competing to live or living to compete. But somewhere amongst the wheels, handlebars, swimsuits, running shoes and mountains lies a balance that allows him to live life his way – on the move. That is why his relaxed, affable appearance is so at odds with the chaos of his profession.

As if the tightness of the top two was not enough, Pol Espargaró lurks just a single point behind Terol as the trio continue to size each other up at every round. Just five days after the action at Indy they will be back on track Misano, eager to strike their next blows in the 11th round of an intriguing battle.

Red Bull Ajo Motorsport’s Márquez was strong in Indy despite his lingering injury concerns and proved his mettle with pole position, but tenth in the race and a first back-to-back set of victories for Bancaja Aspar’s Terol saw the 17 year-old’s advantage lessened. Third for Tuenti Racing’s Espargaró was enough to maintain a very close check on things.

52 points back in fourth place is Bradley Smith and whilst the Bancaja Aspar rider’s chances of challenging for the title appear to be weaker now, the Brit has been on the podium at Misano for the past two seasons and is still in search of a first win of 2010.

A podium for Sandro Cortese (Avant Mitsubishi Ajo) in the previous round will have boosted the German’s confidence further and he will aim to close up further on Smith in the standings, with Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) not far behind.

Returning to action will be Alexis Masbou (Ongetta Team) and Sturla Fagerhaug (AirAsia – Sepang International Circuit Team), with five Italian wild cards adding to the field in the shapes of Francesco Mauriello (Team Semprucci), Tommaso Gabrielli (Racing Team Gabrielli) and Junior GP team riders Giovanni Bonati, Alessandro Tonucci and Armando Pontone.

Source: motogp.com

Scott Redding:
“I got a good start, was on the pace and having a good battle in the leading group. I was pushing to make up more places when, unfortunately, I collided with Fonsi Nieto and got pushed off line. The field was so close together that I’d dropped right back to 27th by the time I’d got everything back together. Then it was a real battle to try and claw back places. I could make passes, but actually making them stick was much harder. After securing our best grid position of the season, I’m obviously disappointed with the final result, but I’m also determined to bounce back in two weeks time at the Indianapolis Grand Prix.”

Bradley Smith:
“To tell the truth, it was a pity how things turned out today. I was totally convinced that I had everything in place to have a good race, but things started to go sour on the grid. It was hard to know what decision to make, but we went for wet tyres on the dry setting. I had big problems with grip at the start of the race and had to take risks on every corner, which lost me positions. When the track had dried completely ten laps before the end, I started to pick up the race pace. I am disappointed because we were on top all weekend and could have had a win, but the weather knocked us off balance. This isn’t the result that I wanted from Brno, but at least I can say that I gave my all. We know what happened and now have to get back on form for Indianápolis.”