Cycle News

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP VOL. 51 ISSUE 17 APRIL 29, 2014 P81 Lowes was almost disappointed with his first World Superbike podium. "With the big gap we eventually had between the first wet race two and the real one we made some changes to the bike," Lowes said. "I didn't get my knee down this morning in the rain, but once I got my knee down in the warm-up lap for race two I thought, 'Okay, this feels a bit better.' Something as simple as that gives you a bit of confidence and that is what you need." Third in race two was race-one crasher Davide Gi- ugliano on the factory Ducati. He looked like a fall waiting to happen again as he slithered all through the soaking 10-lap race, but he was only five seconds from Rea and on the podium for the first time this year; and the first time on his Panigale. "In some places the track is very slippery," he said. "Unfortunately, I put the wheels on a point that I had nev- er touched before and crashed. It was my mistake. Too bad, because I had a good pace and I'm sure I would be able to stake the podium in race one. In race two it was difficult to stay focused. I wanted the podium at all costs; I did not want to make mistakes, even if at some point I started to make up ground on [Alex] Lowes." Sykes was the day's big winner in the champion- ship table, as he now enjoys a 12-point advantage over Guintoli, the only other man to have two wins to his Briefly... and discussions with the manufacturers we fixed a priority to try and reach growing markets in terms of motorcycle sales. So we are very glad to announce this will be happening already in 2014." The World Superbike Championship looks like it's going full distance now after the loss of the Russian round, according to the latest information from Dorna. Regard- ing the two still to-be-confirmed rounds, at Phakisa and Qatar, Daniel Carrera, CEO of the Dorna World Superbike Organization, said: "We are very close. Qatar is a politi- cal thing to leave it as TBC, but it is going to happen. In South Africa the situation is that the FIM report made a report with a request for modifications they need to pre- pare. There is a pre-inspection in July, and that is the deadline to have the racetrack surface and run off areas and first line of protection ready. If this is in order in July we go ahead. We are confident that it is not big work they have to do there." The Hero EBR squad may have looked to Assen as a decent chance to show some form but even the high-speed corners that should negate any horsepower disadvan- tage were cancelled out by other factors according to team manager Giulio Bardi. "Assen is also a very difficult track. It is al- ways an issue as well because we come to a track where we do not have any data and our riders have to learn the tracks. We have to learn the tracks so the first two sessions are just going to give us the brak- ing markers first to see where we are at. It shows because every session we go a little bit faster. Even the basic stuff, like gearing. Aside from Laguna we have no experience of anywhere else. We are still working in electronics and engine management that is a big part of it for us." Eugene Laverty started his Assen week- end in a happier mood than he did at Agusta of Jules Cluzel, who was not looking too happy at his pros- pects of a top finish before the race. "We were not the best this weekend but we showed some spirit and this is my worst track of the season, and the first time I have been on the podium here," Cluzel said. "I think we were re- ally strong so we are looking quite good for the rest of the champion- ship." Home cooking: Michal van Der Mark won his first-ever World Supersport race and he did it in his home round at Assen. continued on next page

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