DUCATI XEROX TEAM GEAR UP FOR HIGH-SPEED MONZA BATTLE
 Ducati
Xerox Team riders Troy Bayliss and Lorenzo are gearing up
for this weekend's high-speed thrash around the legendary
Autodromo di Monza on the outskirts of Milan. After a shaky
start to the season both riders are now on more firmer ground
and from the Monza round onwards Troy and Lorenzo will be
setting their sights on being permanent front-runners to boost
their championship positions.
Troy Bayliss, 4th in championship (128 points)
Troy, who has taken double wins on each of the last three
Monza events he has taken part in - 2001, 2002 and 2006 -
has a special feeling with the high-speed track.
"I wish I knew what the magical connection was!"
declared Troy. "I guess it goes back to when I first
had my first ride here in 2000. It was my second chance to
go with the factory Ducati team and I made a pretty good result
- two fourth positions but I actually led the race a few times.
I did one banzai move in the first chicane, people remember
that! Actually after that weekend I was signed on full time
to take Carl's place and then I became part of the factory
team. Then I came back to Monza and I haven't lost since.
It's very special, always busy for all of us in the team,
but when I'm here I feel that everyone is going for Ducati
and me. I reckon James Toseland will be the main man to beat
here, but Max Biaggi and Noriyuki Haga as well, it'll be a
real dogfight this weekend, there'll be 5 or 6 of us fighting
like in Assen."
Lorenzo Lanzi, 7th in championship (98 points)
Lorenzo's best result at Monza is last year's ninth place
and he will certainly be aiming to improve on that result
this weekend in front of his home crowd.
"The track is not one of the best for bikes because
of the long straights but Monza is always a special race for
the public and there's always a big crowd" commented
Lorenzo. "For sure I want to do better than last year,
tomorrow morning I'll immediately start to put in as many
laps as possible, just like we did at Assen, where we had
a good weekend despite not getting the best of results. I
think that this year the race will be tougher than in previous
years because the Japanese bikes are at a good level of development
but I am optimistic because here Ducati has always gone well
and Troy and I will be giving our everything to stay ahead
of the other guys."
DUCATI-BIANCHI
Guest of honour in the Ducati Xerox Team pit garage on the
day dedicated to the press and PR activities was the legendary
Italian cyclist Felice Gimondi. The Italian manufacturer Bianchi,
who have signed an agreement with Ducati, have produced an
exclusive range of Bianchi-Ducati Corse bikes, including four
racing bikes (Factory), three MTBs (Scrambler) and a Street
Bike, all with Ducati-inspired names. In a short ceremony
in the Ducati Xerox Hospitality, Gimondi presented keen cyclist
Troy Bayliss with a special racing model.
DUCATI-BOSCH
Bosch are also partner of Ducati for the Superbike World Championship
2007. During the three Italian legs of the championship, which
the team from Bologna won in 2006, the innovations and promotions
for Bosch's Professional Power Tools line will be presented.
The circuits of Monza (10-13 May), Misano (14-17 June) and
Vallelunga (27-30 September) will play host to exhibitors
and demonstration tests via which the German company will
make its products known to the public, who can also test them.
Throughout the weekend all Ducati fans can visit the Bosch
stand and compete in various power tool tests, repairing Ducatis
and carrying out maintenance work: for example polishing and
stripping the paint off fairings and other bodywork parts,
replacing mechanical and engine parts, assembling and dismantling
the clutch and changing wheels.
Championship Points (after 5 of 13 rounds):
Riders - 1. Toseland (Honda) 196; 2. Biaggi (Suzuki) 164;
3. Haga (Yamaha) 144; 4. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 128; 5. Corser
(Yamaha) 114; 6. Xaus (Ducati) 99; 7. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox)
98; 8. Neukirchner (Suzuki) 71. Manufacturers - 1. Honda 185;
2. Yamaha 154; 3. Ducati 148; 4. Suzuki 148; 5. Kawasaki 61.
The Circuit
Name: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Length: 5.793 km
Pole Position: left
Finish line length: 1195 m
Race distance: 2 x 18 laps/104.256 km
Statistics : Best lap: Corser (Suzuki) 1m46.058s
(2006). Lap record: Bayliss (Ducati) 1m46.815s (2006). Superpole:
Corser (Suzuki) 1m46.058s (2006).
2006 Results : Race 1 - 1. Bayliss (Ducati);
2. Barros (Honda); 3. Corser (Suzuki). Race 2 - 1. Bayliss;
2. Corser; 3. Haga (Yamaha).
TV Coverage : Eurosport 2 (Europe) Sunday
13 May, 1515 race 2 (delayed). Eurosport (Italy) Saturday
12 May, 1945 Superpole (delayed); Sunday 13 May, 1200 race
1 (live), 2000 race 2 (delayed). La7 (Italy) Saturday 12 May,
1550 Superpole (live); Sunday 13 May, 1150 race 1 (live),
1525 race 2 (live). RAI2 (Italy) Sunday 13 May, 1730 races
1 + 2 (highlights).
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