INTERVIEW
P94
WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPION TOM SYKES
we had a steady start to 2013.
After round two we were about
fifth or sixth in the championship
and about 50 points behind. It
felt like, "whuff, we need to start
working…"
We have had our small issues,
but it is times like riding with three
broken ribs and a broken wrist in
Phillip Island that put us in this
final position. We have come in
quietly under the radar and the
last two years have been incredible. We have an absolutely great
level of respect for one and other
in the team, with Kawasaki and all
our technical sponsors.
Could you have won race
one at Jerez this year if you really had to?
In race one I could have challenged for the front, but could I
have challenged for the win? I
probably don't think so. At the
end of the day I had four warnings from the front tire, and four
is three too many. So I think I
managed the gap to [Sylvain]
Guintoli, and it was not our time
to crumble. The gap to Sylvain
was coming down, and then extending, and then coming down,
and just in the last few laps I managed to put just over a second
between us and, in racing terms,
unless you are really struggling, a
second is a gap. It was enough at
the checkered flag.
I was a little bit tense on the
final lap of race one, but only a
couple of percent from my usual
self. When I crossed the flag all
hell broke loose. I did have some
A happy team celebrated
at Jerez. Then got back to
testing the very next day.
tears inside my Shark helmet, but
any human would do the same.
Did you have more of a
chance to win race two, as you
led it for some time?
I rode to the potential of our
package and we made improvements in race two, but it was
clear to see that at the end Eugene [Laverty] had more edge
grip than me. I knew he would be
strong here. That is why I did the
majority of our work in France.
When I won the double in France
it was quite a relief. Kawasaki and
us did a really good job. Even in
race one here in Jerez; we were
able to split the Aprilias and get
on the podiums, which I thought
before coming here would be
almost impossible. Or, at least,
very difficult. But we managed to
stand on the podium in each race
and become World Champions.
