XAVI DEFIES THE PAIN BARRIER TO TAKE FIFTH!
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Xavi Simeon spent
the whole 14-lap Superstock 1000 FIM Cup race in agony, but
somehow defied the pain to take a tremendous fifth place.
The problem with his left ankle once again flared up, and
after a couple of laps he was struggling to maintain his place
and concentration. Somehow he kept going and in the end finished
fifth, but less then two and a half seconds behind the race
winner Didier Van Keymeulen (Yamaha). Second was Niccolo Canepa
(Ducati), with Claudio Corti (Yamaha) third. But with series
leader Matteo Baiocco (Yamaha) finishing eighth, it means
that the gap between him and Xavi at the top of the table
is now reduced to nine points.
Xavi - 5th
That was a very hard and difficult race. After a short time,
my ankle really started hurting and it was hard to keep concentration.
On the straights I had to take my left leg right off the footpeg,
just so that I could change gear. Yesterday the conditions
were wet and we weren’t going so fast and we all had
to ride much more smoothly, so it was not such a big problem.
But today was dry and we were riding much harder and faster
and that meant that I had to work my leg a lot more. It hurt
a lot, but I was determined to keep going as best I could.
In the end, I don’t think that fifth place is so bad,
especially considering that I was not so far off from the
leaders.
Results
1 Van Keymeulen (B-Yamaha), 2 Canepa (I-Ducati), 3 Corti (I-Yamaha),
4 Aitchison (Aus-Suzuki), 5 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki
Corona Extra), 6 Tode (D-Honda).
Points: 1 Baiocco 136, 2 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare
Suzuki Corona Extra) 127, 3 Canepa 125, 4 Aitchison 121, 5
Corti 112, 6 Dionisi 93,
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