Sizzling Stoner snatches Spanish pole

(CNN) -- World MotoGP champion Casey Stoner snatched pole position for Sunday's Catalunya Grand Prix with a stunning record-breaking lap at the end of qualifying.

The Australian, who has not started a race from first place on the grid since Misano last year, set new best time of 1 minute 41.186 seconds on the 4.727km Barcelona circuit on his Ducati on Saturday.

Stoner, who won the Spanish event last season, denied home hope Dani Pedrosa -- who was 0.83 seconds slower on a Honda -- as he claimed the 11th pole position of his career.

"It's a bit of a surprise. We were lucky with our choice of qualification tires, but with our race tires we're even faster," said the 22-year-old Stoner, who was fastest in the two practice sessions.

The 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden was third on the grid ahead of France's Randy De Puniet and fellow American Colin Edwards, while Britain's James Toseland was sixth.

The top six riders were all quicker than the pole record set by Valentino Rossi last year.

Italy's Andrea Dovizioso and Australian Chris Vermuelen both finished ahead of championship leader Rossi, who was back in ninth.

The Italian lost his chance of pole when he caught his wheel on the grass late in qualifying.

Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo, who is third in the standings behind Rossi and Pedrosa, did not take part following a crash in Friday's practice sessions.

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