S
ome comeback! Sylvain Guintoli's double
race victory at the 2014 Qatar World Super-
bike finale clinched his debut world title on
the factory Aprilia by six points over Kawasaki's
reigning champion Tom Sykes. It had been
unimaginable three rounds earlier, with the
British-based French rider holding a 44-point
deficit behind Sykes. But in the final six races of
the season, the growing dominance of the Aprilia
RSV4 asserted itself, allowing the Piaggio-owned
Italian marque to win every race. As such, it
clinched two more World Superbike titles–rider
and manufacturer both—to add to the five it had
already scored since its rookie year in 2009
(including two rider's crowns for Max Biaggi in
2010 and 2012).
It's a success that came after the disruption of
losing the head of Aprilia Racing, Gigi Dall'Igna,
SYLVAIN GUINTOLI'S APRILIA RSV4
RACER TEST
BEST
EVER?
RIDING THE WORLD
CHAMP'S WINNING STEED
BY ALAN CATHCART
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEL EDGE AND GOLD & GOOSE
P94
