The third and final day of the MotoGP winter test at the technically demanding Phillip Island circuit was a Gibernau free affair today, which left reigning World Champion, Valentino Rossi, to record the fastest time of the test and he leaves for the trip home to Europe as the man to catch - Just.

Unofficial Times From Phillip Island:

1. Valentino Rossi - Gauloises Yamaha 1:29.68 2. Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda 1:29.69 3. Carlos Checa - Marlboro Ducati 1:29.86 4. Max Biaggi - Repsol Honda 1:29.88 5. Loris Capirossi - Marlboro Ducati 1:30.18 6. Colin Edwards II - Gauloises Yamaha 1:30.23 7. Alex Barros - Camel Honda Pons 1:30.55 8. John Hopkins - Suzuki Grand Prix 1:30.85 9. Marco Melandri - Telefonica Movistar Honda 1:30.90 10. Troy Bayliss - Camel Honda Pons 1:30.90 11. Kenny Roberts - Suzuki Grand Prix 1:31.21 12. Ruben Xaus - Fortuna Yamaha Tech 3 1:31.98 13. Nobuatsu Aoki - Suzuki Test Team 1:32.41 14. Toni Elias - Fortuna Yamaha Tech 3 1:32.96 Lap Record: Valentino Rossi - Repsol Honda 1:30.068 - 2003 Australian Grand Prix. 2004 Pole Time: Sete Gibernau - Telefonica Movistar Honda 1:30.122 2004 Fastest Race Lap: Loris Capirossi - Marlboro Ducati 1:31.102

With Sete having boarded a jet plane bound for home after day two, his Australian test program completed, it was his arch-rival Rossi who topped the timing sheets at the picturesque circuit today, and the lap record set by Gibernau yesterday was duly broken en-route. The Italian multiple World Champion recorded a personal best lap of 1:29.68 to better Gibernau's Friday time by almost 0.2 of a second. Rossi ran a race simulation and assessed some different compounds of the Michelin race rubber on board his factory Yamaha M1 at 'The Island' before packing up and making the two-hour trip back to Melbourne airport.

Chasing Rossi, and into second place on Day 3, was Rossi's former Repsol Honda team-mate, and still a works HRC rider of course, American Nick Hayden. The Owensboro native spent the day collecting valuable data for the set-up of his full works RC211V machine and Hayden's fastest circulation on the day, a 1:29.69, also beat out Gibernau's former circuit best lap of 1:29.85 that the Spaniard recorded yesterday. Hayden's race distance simulation saw the former AMA Superbike Champion knock almost half a minute off of his race time from last season's Australian Grand Prix, and Nick leaves Australia as the fastest Honda rider after the three days.

With Gibernau absent, it was up to Carlos Checa to uphold Spanish pride today, and the Ducati Marlboro works rider finished his Australian testing adventure by rounding out the 'podium' on Day 3. Checa's best lap of 1:29.86 was an improvement of just under 0.1 of a second on his Friday time and the Ducati/Bridgestone partnership appears to be gaining momentum as well as valuable data as they attempt, along with the factory Suzuki and Kawasaki teams, to break the Michelin domination in the premier class.

Into fourth spot today came Roman, Max Biaggi. The goateed-one recording a personal best lap of 1:29.88, and the Kanemoto advised Italian leaves Phillip Island with valuable data collected both in terms of the development parts tested on the 2005 RCV motorcycle, and with the Michelin tires having been assessed to aid with the set-up of the Repsol sponsored machine.

As with many of the teams, the factory HRC team will enjoy a short break before descending on the Losail circuit in Doha, Qatar, from 1st - 3rd March, for the fourth winter test in preparation for this season's global Grand Prix trek.

Bridgestone shod Loris Capirossi finished the day in fifth spot, his time a 1:30.18 and Loris was closely followed on the timing sheets by the Texan Tornado, Colin Edwards II, the double World Superbike Champion's fastest lap today, 1:30.23 after extensive tire testing on the day for Michelin.

Makoto Tamada did not test today, the Japanese rider still not fully recovered from the severe bruising he incurred after his Thursday crash. The fastest man from Sepang II, now has two weeks to recuperate before his next testing appearance for the Konica Minolta team.