Alonso Lopez claimed a surprise pole position for the Moto2 Dutch TT at Assen after snatching the top spot from pre-qualifying favourite Jake Dixon in the closing stages.

British rider Dixon was considered the man to beat coming into Q2 following a dominant showing on Friday, which he then consolidated by reeling off a series of consistently quick laps in P3 to prepare for Sunday's race.

However, with no rider able to match Ai Ogura's lap record-breaking 1m 36.000s from P3, it was Lopez who emerged on top at the end of the session, his cause partly assisted by a prolonged yellow flag period to clear the Pons of Aron Canet at Turn 1 with around 90secs remaining.

With Lopez having been running ahead of Canet at the time, he kept it neat to get the nod at the behest of Dixon. The GasGas Aspar rider was also ahead of Canet at the time of his fall, but after fluffing his first time attack, came round to find the flags still out to prevent him from attempting another.

Even so, having shown superior race pace in Practice, Dixon is well placed to challenge for a long awaited first win on Sunday.

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New lap record holder Ogura completes the front row, the Japanese rider - whose first half of the season has been ruined by complicated wrist injury - looking back to his very best as he bids to recapture the form that made him Moto2 runner-up last season.

Fermin Aldeguer consolidated SpeedUp's strong session in fourth place, with Sam Lowes making it a strong Saturday for the Moto2 Brits with his run to fifth place.

Completing the second row his title contender Pedro Acosta, the Spaniard - who didn't race at Assen in Moto2 last year - struggling to apply the dominance that saw him romp to victories in Mugello and Sachsenring.

Nevertheless, the KTM Ajo rider still starts ahead of his rival and championship leader Tony Arbolino, the Italian once again finding himself wanting over a single lap as he prepares to get underway from a lowly tenth.

Between the title rivals will be Somkiat Chantra in seventh, Albert Arenas in eighth and Celestino Vietti, who ended the session ninth, despite a fall.

Moto2 Dutch TT Assen | Qualifying Results