Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Ji'F I DUCATI . BIG NUMB€RS rcR TH€ BEAST Possibly the biggest change from last ),,ear to this, is the obviously continuing com- petitiveness of Ducati machinery You.s truly put Ducati machines in firct and third in last year's predictions, but if I had the opportunity to change after even round one, I would have done so. As it turned out, James Toseland had to perform a rally almost as strong as the one that gave him the 2004 title, just to linish almost third in the championship - l7 points behind Noriyuki Haga, but almost 200 behind Corcer. Regis Laconi, who scored a triple crown of race wins, frequently had to ride beyond the capabilities of bikes and rub- ber just to keep Corser and co. on his red-tinged radar screen at other races in 2005 - and crashed in the aftempt. Yet, iust as the four-cylinder Japanese machines were massing for the kill around Ducati's booming twins, a new star showed that Ducatis could still cut it. Lorenzo Lanzi scored two race wins - could have been more, but for bad luck and silly mistakes. But nqt bad for a rook- ie, wouldn't you say...? Disheartened by the uncertainties of Toseland and Laconi in 2005, Ducati threw both their previous babies out with the bathwater, and gave Lanzi a full-time step-uP. They then also went back the future with the signing of Tro/ Bayliss, who proved that whatever four podiums and man/ disappointments in three seasons of MotoGP does for you, it doesn't seem to prevent you coming back at anything less than full pace on a Ducati 999. Not if you're Bayliss at least. An even more dazling Ducati hctoid is that this year there will be a full eight per- manent Ducati starters on the grid. Now we always knew that the factory Dukes would be there or thereabouts in the hands of the very best, but why would any- one want to run an expensive, flniclq/, indi- vidualistic and high-maintenance Ducatis in the age of the l000cc Japanese four? Well, it seems that not only is national- ism playing its part for teams such as Pedercini, Caracchi and Sterilgarda Berik, but also, once you know how to get the best out of a Duke, you are almost guar- anteed a competitive package against all but the 'factory'' fours. Now who wor.rld have thought that, when the fours came in? Not even Ducati, until halfway through last year, at least, Speaking of "who would have thought it?'' - who would have thought that we would see not one or two, but multiple lvlotocP refugees joining or reioining the class again? Five riders (Alex Barros, Bayliss, Robeft Rolfo, Franco Battaini and Ruben Xaus) who were in possession of some level of MotoGP full-time contract last year are now in World Superbike rac- ing. One or two might even win it out- right, and few seasoned observers would write even the likes of privateer-mounted Rolfo or Xaus off the list of possible podi- um finishers. Especially after Lanzi's crim- son-rocket-ship rides last year. ln terms of numbers, Ducati rules the roost, their eight-rider charge headed up by official Ducati Xerox duo, Bayliss and Lanzi. The SC Caracchi Ducati team, despite seeming to have a Supersport wing only at one stage, has played the hometown card again, sweeping Rolfo off his l4otocP Ducati feet to give them a strong single-rider effort in the big class. The surprise last-gasp loss of l'4ax Neukirchner from the Klaffi Honda squad will be a demerit to Honda for many, but it's a serious future gain for Ducati - even if he is only on a third Pedercini Ducati, alongside Lucio Pedercini and perennial Italian privateer lvan Clementi. Having tasted the forbidden Oriental fruit provided by temptresses from Yamaha last year, then going back to the one true ltalian faith of Ducati midseason, Marco Borciani has created yet another new team for himself and his Sterilgarda money - the Sterilgarda Berik Ducati squad. The Berik money may well have come from MotoGP refugee and World Superbike semi-legend Xaus, but all pro- ceeds were welcomed. Spectacular when winning, losing or drawing his leathers across the tarma€ with worrying regularity, whatever the machinery or tires, Xaus is a talent worth having and nurturing. He starts the season with a broken leg, but anyone who has seen him dominate in multiple Superbike races, and even score a podium in MotoGP knows that there is a deep lawa flow of talent inside his short-tempered volcano. The original case of anything being possible. HONDA . WIND BEN€ATH THEIR WINGS The Winston Ten Kate squad needs no introduction by now, and the country boys with the fastest tofs, having been multiple Supercpon champions and lirmly in the Superbike vanguard since their introduction in 2004- ln Karl Muggeridge they have a rider who sometimes carries misfortune around like an aura, despite his obvious speed in year one of his Superbike career. He's got talent and hunger and those. in any season you care to mention, are tvvo omnipresent pillars in the temple ofeven- tual racing glory Ten Kate has always been a good iudge of riding talent, and when they say that Toseland is a good signing for Ten Kate, you can overcome any notions about Toseland's 2004 championship win being a one-off in a weak year. Still developing as a rider, he is in the happiest patch of territory he has cultivated since he left his beloved GSE Racing team. He started out on Hondas, and he's on them again- Not iust Hondas, but the best ones on track, according to any form guide you care to mention. Honda's ace-up-the-sleeve is a name everyone has heard of. Barros is a seven time MotoGP race winner (the most recent of which came last year) and he has proven to be no average Superbike racer either,:rs many a Suzuki 8-Hour campaign attests - albeit on a V-twin. He has no real experience upon the frame fours, but few think this will be a handicap to someone with this degree of talent and experience, Two things may hold him back, howev- er. One is a relatively new SBK Klafll team, which gave outgoing pairinS Pier- Francesco Chili and Neukirchner occa- sional reliability, and more frequent, setup worries last year. The other is that aside CYCLE NEWS o MARCH 1 ,2006 45 .4 ,t. ,,,t !i',, alr./,/ Zror.lor,d'. *-- molE is Auslrolion Ko Muggeridge, ll I v L ; { I :, s tr lorenzo lanzi is Ducali'. hopc fo. tfio future. The youag hqlion could bc o thrcot for the title this yeor. ---,' >!r'- (:l' T 1 r. -a I a il I The Foggy Petrlnqs thrue-cylindorr will be ridden by Steve Mortin (le-ft) ond

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