Smets obeys team orders to gift Vico victory.

Javier Garcia Vico became the first Spaniard ever to win a 500cc Grand Prix when Joel Smets moved over to let his fellow KTM rider claim victory here in Yakhroma yesterday morning.

Smets had lead from the gate until the last 10 metres from the flag when he kindly slowed to concede a sixth win of the year and gift Vico third place overall in the standings.

The situation arose when Stefan Everts could no longer stay with Vico in the fight for second and he retained a 20 margin over Marnicq Bervoets. With Smets, Vico and Bervoets divided by seven points before the race and all wrestling for final Championship positions behind number one Everts, a win for Vico, runner-up place for Smets and with Bervoets missing the podium once more (he has only taken 4 in 12 races) meant the Spanish rider swaps his number four plate for a '3' in 2003. KTM finished the race in the first two positions and now have second and third in the 500 class.

Vico, however, was hardly undeserving of his first GP win. He battled with Smets in the first few laps and, until he made several small mistakes that forced him to lose touch and briefly fall into the clutches of Everts, he looked as though he might take the second event of the GP of Russia on his own merit.

The 28 year old has forged his most successful campaign in the 2002 World Championships with six podiums, his celebratory antics today in tandem with Smets on a victory lap were a joy to see and a fresh face standing on the top step of the 500cc podium is not a bad thing considering the series has been dominated by Smets and Everts in recent years. James Noble equalled his best 2002 result of fifth place on a 450 Honda.

Bervoets now has to be content with fourth in a low-key but consistent year. Andrea Bartolini is fifth after taking 11th in the race and Yves Demaria takes sixth although he did not finish the race today because of a small back injury.