Kenny Roberts wins Argentine Motorcycle Grand Prix

Stan Lehman

Sunday, Oct. 31, 1999 | 1:13 a.m.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - American Kenny Roberts fought off a dramatic last-minute challenge from Italy's Max Biaggi and won the season-ending Argentine Motorcycle Grand Prix 500cc race Sunday.

Riding a Suzuki, Roberts, the pole-sitter, surged to an early lead and held the advantage for most of the race's 27 laps on the 2.64-mile Oscar Galvez circuit.

With only one lap to go, Biaggi powered his Yamaha past Roberts. But he lost control on a tight curve, allowing Roberts to regain the lead.

Roberts completed the race in 47 minutes, 23.710 seconds. Biaggi finished in 47:25.743.

Spain's Alex Criville, who clinched the world title last week, was fifth on a Honda in 47:28.161.

"It was a long, hard race," Roberts said. "I knew it would come down to the last lap, but I can't say how it would have come out if he (Biaggi) didn't have that slip."

Biaggi said: "I tried hard and passed him on the last lap, then I went into this turn with a little too much throttle and had a big slide."

France's Olivier Jacque won the 25-lap race in the 250cc division, clocking 44:34.817 seconds on a Yamaha.

Jacque sped past pole sitter Valentino Rossi at the start and led the rest of the way.

Rossi, who last week clinched the world title, kept his Aprilia right behind Jacque until the 19th lap, when he was overtaken by Japan's Toru Ukawa, who finished second in 44:44.053. Rossi took third in 44:52.390.

Italy's Marco Melandri won the 125cc race, but Spain's Emilio Alzamora, who finished second, won the season's title by one point.

Melandri, on a Honda, completed the 23-lap race in 42:37.380, picking up 25 points for a season total of 226. Alzamora, who began the day as the season leader with 207 points, collected 20 for 227.