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Valencia World Superbike Test During the World Superbike tests, a startling 12 riders whipped past the old race lap record of 1:36.128 (Troy Corser, Aprilia, 2001). Comparing like for like with the GP bikes, seven riders even beat their own existing benchmark best collective qualifying time of 1:35.504 (also Corser in 2001), and four went under 1:35. For the record, they were Troy Bayliss (1:34.216), Ben Bostrom (1:34.401), Noriykui Haga (1:34.777), and Ruben Xaus (1 :34.908). "Everything was good these last three days, and in every test we've done since the end of last year, we've made a major improvement," Bayliss said. "I did three long runs on race tires and their performance was excellent, while on my qualifying tire I did the fastest lap I've ever done around here. I feel really confident about the season ahead. " Bostrom was also pleased with the effort at Valencia. "We got the bike dialed in really well over these last three days, and although I did the fastest lap around By GORDON RITCHIE PHOTOS By GOLD & GOOSE VALENCIA, SPAIN, FEB. 22-25 ne week before the final World Superbike test of the season, a rival band of leather-clad warriors had invaded the Iberian Peninsula to do battle with the stopwatches. After rubbing the red Valencian soil between their fingers, some Moto GP riders went on to preseason psychological victory and departed for their next testing campaigns in triumph - notably Garry McCoy, who had turned in an outstanding 1:34.070 on his old-tech 500cc twostroke to set an all-time best motorcycle track record. Some others, however, fell flat on their freshly constructed mechanical butts, notably those on the not-sonew Yamaha MIs, which could not circulate at the same pace as the existing MotoGP practice records. Or even the later personal bests from the World Superbike mercenaries, come to that. here on race tires, 1:34.7, I know there is a lot more to come - because I got held up on my quick lap and lost a few tenths," the Californian said. "I'm really excited about the season ahead because I've been waiting for it to start since last May, when I injured my shoulder at Monza." For Haga, it was just a matter of getting more time on the Aprilia - and each and every time he gets faster. "We've made enormous progress since our first tests in Australia," he said. "The Aprilia is like no other bike, and it has unique qualities, so I'm adapting my style to suit it." Colin Edwards would have joined the under-35s as well, had he not crashed out of contention in the oneupmanship war during the very last stages, while still trying to find feel for his feet at the ends of his Honda's latest Showa forks. He was the hardestworking act in the paddock, however, turning 240 laps in three days. In short, the old-tech street-bikederived superbikes, with experienced winners and years of machine devel- opment, had comprehensively outperformed one small section of the massing ranks of MotoGP fourstrokes, at the first time of asking on the same circuit - even if the weather and track conditions were more favorable for the superbikers. Whatever the cross-platform comparisons of SBK vs. MotoGP, the Valencia SBK tests delivered a clear message - that although the factory teams may have diminished in scale, there are at least as many genuine superbike championship contenders in the 2002 series as there have ever been in the 14-year history of World Superbike racing. The battles during the forthcoming season will still be fought along the same perennial Honda/Ducati and upstart Aprilia lines, but there are definitely five riders capable of winning the title, plus maybe Neil Hodgson and Pier-Francesco Chili, should they have 26 virtually immaculate, crash-free races from Valencia on March 10 to Imola on September 29. The final official preseason testing day at Valencia had 25 riders in He's World Champion for a reason. Troy Bayliss ended the final tesl session prior to the firs! round of the World Superbike Championship as the faslesl of the Superbike men. 32 MARCH 13, 2002' cue I _ n __ s