VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) -Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi set a track record at Circuit Ricardo Tormo on Saturday to clinch pole position for the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix, while two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia failed to reach Q2 after stopping with a technical issue.

Italian Bezzecchi, third in the standings behind champion Marc Marquez and his brother Alex, had been ninth in qualifying before he lit up the timing screens, finishing the lap at one minute and 28.089 seconds to secure his second pole position in a row.