Loris Capirossi was fastest in the first 500cc qualifying session at Assen, Holland on Thursday, followed by Valentino Rossi and Alex Barros.

The Dutch TT, a round of the Grand Prix World Championship, is held on Saturday instead of Sunday, with practice and qualifying starting on Thursday instead of Friday.

Times follow:

1. Loris Capirossi, Italy, Honda, 2:01.417
2. Valentino Rossi, Italy, Honda, 2:01.649
3. Alex Barros, Brazil, Honda, 2:02.338
4. Kenny Roberts, USA, Suzuki, 2:02.349
5. Norike Abe, Japan, Yamaha, 2:02.707
6. Max Biaggi, Italy, Yamaha, 2:02.806
7. Alex Criville, Spain, Honda, 2:02.921
8. Tohru Ukawa, Japan, Honda, 2:03.150
9. Shinya Nakano, Japan, Yamaha, 2:03.204
10. Carlos Checa, Spain, Yamaha, 2:03.345
11. Jurgen v. d. Goordbergh, Holland, Proton, 1:03.540
12. Sete Gibernau, Spain, Suzuki, 1:03.589
13. Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Yamaha, 1:03.699
14. Olivier Jacque, France, Yamaha, 1:03.707
15. Garry McCoy, Australia, Yamaha, 1:04.046
16. Chris Walker, Great Britain, Honda, 1:04.287
17. Leon Haslam, Great Britain, Honda, 1:05.465
18. Jose Luis Cardoso, Spain, Yamaha, 1:05.561
19. Haruchika Aoki, Japan, Honda, 1:05.607
20. Anthony West, Australia, Honda, 1:06.465


In the first 250cc qualifying session, a quartet of Aprilias led the way with Marco Melandri fastest ahead of Tetsuya Harada, Jeremy McWilliams and Roberto Rolfo. America wild card rider Jason DiSalvo was 28th-fastest, just behind 27th-fastest Katja Poensgen. Times follow:

1. Marco Melandro, Italy, Aprilia, 2:05.194
2. Tetsuya Harada, Japan, Aprilia, 2:05.289
3. Jeremy McWilliams, Great Britain, 2:05.514
4. Roberto Rolfo, Italy, Aprilia, 2:06.088
5. Daijiro Katoh, Japan, Honda, 2:06.094
6. Randy de Puniet, France, Aprilia, 2:06.312
7. Sebastian Porto, Argentina, Yamaha, 2:06.792
8. Emilio Alzamora, Spain, Honda, 2:06.938
9. Alex Hofmann, Germany, Aprilia, 2:06.940
10. Roberto Locatelli, Italy, Aprilia, 2:07.315
27. Katja Poensgen, Germany, Aprilia, 2:12.590
28. Jason DiSalvo, USA, Honda, 2:12.832


In the first 125cc qualifying session, Gino Borsoi was fastest ahead of Lucio Cecchinello and Toni Elias. Times follow:

1. Gino Borsoi, Italy, Aprilia, 2:13.485
2. Lucio Cecchinello, Italy, Aprilia, 2:13.753
3. Toni Elias, Spain, Honda, 2:13.792
4. Youichi Ui, Japan, Derbi, 2:13.890
5. Manuel Poggiali, Italy, Gilera, 2:14.356
6. Jaroslav Hules, Czech Republic, Honda, 2:14.478
7. Steve Jenkner, Germany, Aprilia, 2:14.592
8. Stefano Perugini, Italy, Ital Jet, 2:14.769
9. Noboru Ueda, Japan, TSR-Honda, 2:14.800
10. Angel Nieto Jr., Spain, Honda, 2:14.812