FRONT ROW STARTS IN VALENCIA FOR BAYLISS AND LANZI (DUCATI
XEROX)
Valencia (Spain), Saturday 22 April: Troy Bayliss and Lorenzo
Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) will line up on the front row of the
grid for tomorrow’s round 3 of the World Superbike Championship
at Valencia after qualifying in second and third position
in Superpole. Just three-tenths of a second separated the
top 4 on the grid as the two Ducati factory riders split two
more Australians, poleman Troy Corser (Suzuki) and Steve Martin
(Petronas) in fourth place.
“We struggled a little bit for grip on that lap but
also at the end of the free practice session I had a crash
on the front and that put me off a little for the Superpole.
I had to use a new front and had to push it on the out lap
and that used up my tyre a bit” declared Troy. “I’m
reasonably happy however because I’m on the front row
and got half a decent lap in but it was still about a second
and a half slower than what I’ve done in the past. It
wasn’t much of a crash in the hairpin and I picked the
bike up and went back to the pits but that all just contributed
to not a great lap for me really. I hope we get some good
weather for the races tomorrow, all the tests we’ve
done here have been nice but the conditions have been quite
dismal so far”.
“I am really happy and my satisfaction for getting
on the front row is just as great as it was in Qatar”
declared Lorenzo. “I am right up there with the two
Troys, but this time I hope things won’t go the same
way as in the first round and I can express my full potential.
I am starting from the front row, which is what I wanted,
hopefully the conditions will at least be like today. If it
rains, it rains for everyone but the conditions don’t
worry me because in the winter tests we went quite well in
the wet. The feeling with my 999 is really good, in the afternoon
I seem to struggle a bit when it gets warmer but in the warm-up
we will make a change that should help so I am confident of
getting two good results tomorrow”.
TIMES: 1. Corser (Suzuki) 1m34.992s; 2.
Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 1m35.175s; 3. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox)
1m35.203s; 4. Martin (Petronas) 1m35.255s; 5. Nieto (Kawasaki)
1m35.351s; 6. Laconi (Kawasaki) 1m35.410s; 7. Walker (Kawasaki)
1m35.452s; 8. Abe (Yamaha) 1m35.701s; 9. Toseland (Honda)
1m35.784s; 10. Haga (Yamaha) 1m36.115s; etc.
TV COVERAGE: Eurosport 2 (Pan European):
Sunday 23 April – 1205 SBK race 1 (live), 2100 SBK race
2 (delayed). Eurosport (Pan European): Sunday 23 April - 2300
SBK race 2 (delayed). La7 (Italy): Sunday 23 April –
from 1600 onwards SBK races 1+2 (delayed). Telecinco (Spain):
Sunday 23 April – 1130 SBK race 1 (live), 1530 SBK race
2 (live).
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