BIAGGI WINS BRNO SUPERBIKE
 Team
Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi moved into second
place in the World Superbike Championship after taking victory
in the second race of the Brno round in the Czech Republic
today.
Team mate Yukio Kagayama started the day well by taking third
place in race one but he crashed out of the second trying
to get up into the top three. He was uninjured but disappointed
not to be in contention for a podium in the latter stages
of the race.
Series leader James Toseland (Honda) won the first race after
a terrific battle with Biaggi, Kagayama and Noriyuki Haga
(Yamaha). Towards the end of the race Toseland ran wide and
into the dirt, kicking up stones and dirt. Biaggi was right
in his wheel tracks and was showered with stones, some smashing
holes in his windscreen and another hitting his left glove
and ripping a hole in it, damaging one of his fingers that
needed medical attention.
At one stage, he and his good friend Haga touched but luckily
they both were able to carry on -although Haga's gesticulation
afterwards showed his displeasure.
The second race saw a determined charge up the field by Biaggi.
The race had been delayed because of light rain and then shortened
by one lap to nineteen. Biaggi was seventh at the end of the
opening lap but moved up the field and passed Toseland to
take the lead on lap 14. From then on in, he kept a cool head
and ran out the winner by over one and a half seconds at the
flag.
Max Biaggi - Race 1: 2nd, Race 2: 1st:
"Brno loves me and I love Brno. It's incredible to think
of how many good memories I have of this place and today continued
that pattern. It's a fantastic track because there is such
a good variety of turns - some fast, some not so fast. Tyres
were always going to be a bit of a problem today, but the
second race was better for them because it was a bit cooler.
I didn't change anything to the bike from the first race to
the second, except put fresh tyres in of course. I want to
thank the whole Alstare Suzuki squad for these great results
today; it's been a while since I won a race, but to win one
today and finish second in the other makes me very happy."
Yukio Kagayama - Race 1: 3rd, Race 2: DNF:
"I am happy with my first race and unhappy with my second!
After my success last year at this track and after the recent
improvements, I really thought I could win a race or maybe
take two podiums. After race one, we didn't change anything
on the bike but, while I was trying to chase the leaders,
I lost the front end and crashed. It happened very quickly
and I could do nothing about it. Up until then, I felt that
I could catch the top three and take a podium, but my plan
didn't work out, so I am not so happy. "
WSB Results:
Race 1: 1 Toseland (GB-Honda), 2 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki
Corona Extra), 3 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra),
4 Haga (J-Yamaha), 5 Rolfo (I-Honda), 6 Fabrizio (I-Honda),
7 Corser (Aus-Yamaha), 8 Lanzi (I-Ducati), 9 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki),
10 Nakatomi (J-Yamaha),
Race 2: 1 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 2 Toseland,
3 Fabrizio, 4 Haga, 5 Rolfo, 6 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 7 Lanzi,
8 Nieto (E-Kawasaki), 9 Nakatomi, 10 Xaus (E-Ducati). DNF:
Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra).
Championship Points: 1 Toseland 305, 2 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare
Suzuki Corona Extra) 262, 3 Haga 260, 4 Bayliss 249, 5 Corser
191, 6 Lanzi 150, 7 Xaus 140, 8 Rolfo 131, 9 Neukirchner 111,
10 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 105.
SUPERSTOCK 1000:
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Xavier Simeon rode
to his first victory at Brno today after battling with Ayrton
Badovini (MV) and Matteo Baiocco (Yamaha) throughout the 12-lapper.
Xavier Simeon -1st:
"I am so happy to take this win and the first thing
I have to do is thank my team for providing me with a great
bike and thank Francis Batta for having faith in me and asking
me to ride for his team. Everything today worked out perfectly.
I led the first lap, but then when Pirro and Badovini took
the lead, I didn't panic at all. I just watched them and tried
to work out where I could make a pass. Badovini and I had
a great fight in the last few laps and I think we exchanged
the lead several times. I led on the last lap and was a bit
surprised when Badovini tried to go past me on the approach
to a right-hander. I think he must have given his bike a bit
too much gas and down he went. After that all I had to ride
smoothly and the victory was mine. I can't tell you how happy
I was to see the chequered flag and take my first win in this
class. Now that I have taken my first win, I'm sure I can
do it again."
Superstock 1000 Results: 1 Xavier Simeon
(B-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 2 Baiocco (I-Yamaha), 3 Corti
(I-Yamaha), 4 Aitchison (Aus-Suzuki), 5 Pirro (I-Yamaha),
6 Mahr (A-Yamaha).
Championship Points: 1 Baiocco 115, 2 Aitchison
100, 3 Xavier Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 96, 4
Canepa 80, 5 Corti 80, 6 Dionisi 77
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