/world sport
(CNN) -- Reigning MotoGP champion Casey Stoner claimed his third successive pole position with a stunning late lap at Assen on Friday.
Stoner dominated the qualifying session at Assen to step up his title challenge.
The 22-year-old Australian, who won the British round at Donington last Sunday, edged out Dani Pedrosa of Spain, with five-time champion Valentino Rossi third fastest ahead of Saturday's Dutch round.
Ducati star Stoner had led for the majority of the session until late surges by Fiat Yamaha's Rossi and then Repsol Honda's Pedrosa knocked him off top spot.
But Stoner found time for one last lap of one minute 35.520 seconds to claim the honors.
Stoner, who struggled with his choice of tires, was delighted to be on pole again. "I'm very surprised to be on pole but delighted to get three in a row," he told Press Association.
"There was a lot of pressure on and I saw Valentino on pole and had given it up but I managed to pull it out. But where you start on the grid is irrelevant. Rossi was 11th on the grid last year and he still won so I'm not taking anything for granted."
Rossi is 11 points ahead of Pedrosa and 45 ahead of Stoner at the top of the championship standings after eight rounds, but recognizes the threat now posed by the Australian.
"I hope there is a real battle for the win tomorrow but to fight for the win with Casey is going to be tough."
American 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden leads the second row, ahead of Honda´s Randy de Puniet and Colin Edwards on a Yamaha.
The third row consists of second Fiat Yamaha man Jorge Lorenzo, Australian Chris Vermeulen and 2006 Assen runner-up Shinya Nakano.
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