Luca Cadalora of Italy beat Michael Doohan of Australia by 35-hundredths of a second to win Sunday's 500cc class of the Italian Motorcycle Grand Prix, marred by a bad spill of defending world champion Wayne Rainey.
Rainey, a 32-year-old from Los Angeles who won his third consecutive world title last year, skidded off a bend on the 10th lap while leading on his Yamaha at the Santamonica track.He was flown by helicopter to a hospital at nearby Cesena, where officials said he suffered trauma to the back and abdomen. He was listed in stable condition.
"He suffered trauma to the fourth and fifth vertebrae," said Gianni Berti, a spokesman for the organizers said.
Kenny Roberts, the team manager of Rainey's Yamaha team, said Sunday night the extent of the injury was unclear.
But the spill on an S-shaped section of the course probably ended Rainey's hopes for his fourth consecutive title and virtually gave the 500cc crown to another American, Kevin Schwantz.
Schwantz, third in Sunday's race, took first place in the standings with 219 points - five points ahead of Rainey. Doohan is third with 156.
Rainey entered Sunday with an 11-point advantage over Schwantz. Each Grand Prix victory is worth 25 points, and Rainey is not expected to ride in the season's last two races. This race, near the northern Adriatic beach reort of Rimini, was the 12th of the season.
Schwantz of Paige, Texas, is bidding for his fifth world title after placing second, third and fourth behind Rainey in the world championships between 1990 and 1992.
Cadalora, who took over the race lead when Rainey fell, scored his second victory in the last three championship races, following a close duel with Doohan, who rode a Honda.
Cadalora, a former world 250cc champion, rode his Yamaha to victory in 45 minutes, 59.165 seconds over the 72.99 miles.
In the 250cc race, Japan's Tetsuyo Harada fell during the 18th lap, while chasing leader Jean Philippe Ruggia of France. Harada escaped unhurt and still held a lead of four points over Italy's Loris Capirossi in the standings.
Ruggia, scoring his second season victory on his Aprilia, was timed in 43:39.138 for the 67.92 miles. Capirossi was second, 10.4 seconds back.
Germany's Dirk Raudies, on a Honda, led all the way in winning the 125cc class for his eighth triumph of the season. Japan's Kazuto Sakata, also on a Honda, trailed the winner by 15.8 seconds and is 17 points behind Raudies in the standings.