Tortelli extends motocross lead

JP/afs

JAKARTA (JP): France's Sebastian Tortelli (left photo) sped his way to his fifth straight world championship title when he won the Indonesian Motocross in Yogyakarta yesterday.

The 21-year-old Italian made up for a first-heat defeat to compatriot Frederic Vialle with a convincing win in the second to collect a massive 37 points.

Vialle managed only second place overall, trailing just four points, after finishing third in the second heat. The 19-year-old rider deserved credit for his upset win over championship leader Tortelli in the neck-to-neck first race.

Coming third was Paul Mullin of England with 32 points.

Tortelli got off to a disastrous start this season, crashing out of the Italian leg in mid April. A week later, however, he returned to his winning ways by sweeping the two races in the Swiss leg in Payerne and the next three world championship rounds in Spain, the Netherlands and Hungary. (amd)