First SBK test this weekend

[xx CURVE xx]

GO SPIES!!!

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World Superbikes » WSBK Portimao test – Preview.
Thursday, 22nd January 2009

7 manufacturers, 19 teams and 32 riders descend on Portimao for the first official test of the eagerly anticipated 2009 World Superbike Championship.

After months of speculation, lyrical waxing and self promotion, some reputations will be on the line when the 2009 World Superbike season effectively kicks off with a three-day group test at Portimao this weekend.

Running from Friday to Sunday, all 32 riders registered on the largest ever official WSBK entry list will make the trip to Portugal to give the first proper indicator as who will be the rider to beat in 2009.

Seven manufacturers, including newcomers Aprilia and BMW, will enter a total of 15 factory backed entrants this year, meaning there will some very high-profile riders finishing outside the top ten when the season comes to an end in eleven months time.

Together with a further 17 private, or semi-private, entries, the competitiveness of this year's championship is already whetting the appetite of motorcycle fans around the world and prompting fevered debate as to who will be amongst those to beat.

Many eyes will be on reigning champions Ducati Xerox, who enter their first season without 2008's runaway title winner Troy Bayliss. It is his replacement Noriyuki Haga that will garner much of the attention, particularly if he makes the headlines again as he did with his series of falls during testing at Kyalami.

On that occasion, it was his team-mate Michel Fabrizio who upstaged him, the Italian shrugging off an indifferent maiden season with the factory team to dominate proceedings in South Africa. With a year now under his belt, Fabrizio could edge his way further up the betting order if he proves in Portugal that his pace wasn't a fluke.

Yamaha will be another team with eyes fixed firmly on them as they introduce their all rookie pairing of Ben Spies and Tom Sykes. The antithesis of Haga and Troy Corser in terms of experience, Spies has already shown he is more than capable of running with the best of the World Superbike riders.

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[Rider]

Can't wait for the season to start. It should be a good one.

[smileyman]

I hope they all stay healthy cause it is gonna be an all out battle royal with all those manufacturers and riders out there. The depth of the field is amazing. Go Spies!

[xx CURVE xx]

HO SPIES!!

World Superbikes » Portimao test – Friday PM times.
Friday, 23rd January 2009

Times from the first World Superbike Championship test at Portimao, Portugal – Friday PM 23rd January 2009.

1. Shane Byrne GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 1min 44.265secs
2. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 44.468secs
3. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Italia YZF R1 1min 44.652secs
4. Max Neukirchner GER Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 44.931secs
5. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 44.976secs
6. Jakub Smrz CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 45.266secs
7. Leon Haslam GBR Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 45.323secs
8. Jonathan Rea GBR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR10000RR 1min 45.329secs
9. Carlos Checa ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR10000RR 1min 45.373secs
10. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 45.448secs
11. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha Italia YZF R1 1min 45.558secs
12. Regis Laconi FRA DFX Corse Ducati 1098R 1min 45.914secs
13. Alessandro Polita ITA Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 1min 46.110secs
14. Broc Parkes AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-0R 1min 46.121secs
15. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 46.261secs
16. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 46.440secs
17. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 46.586secs
18. Gregorio Lavilla ESP Pro Ride Honda CBR10000RR 1min 46.948secs
19. Makoto Tamada JPN Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R 1min 46.957secs
20. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 47.340secs
21. Tommy Hill GBR HANNspree Althea Honda CBR1000RR 1min 47.639secs
22. Brendan Roberts AUS Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 47.699secs
23. Shinya Nakano JPN Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 48.274secs
24. David Salom ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 48.800secs
25. Luca Scassa ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 49.800secs
26. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA Squadra Corse Italia Honda CBR1000RR 1mins 50.187secs
27. Roberto Rolfo ITA Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 53.550secs

[Rider]

Looks like Aprilia and BMW have some work to do.

[xx CURVE xx]

Superbike - Overall Best Times
Update: January 25, 2009, 18.35 PM ET

1 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'43.294
2 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'43.484
3 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'43.487
4 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'43.546
5 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'43.657
6 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'43.674
7 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'43.767
8 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'43.951
9 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.115
10 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.170
11 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'44.261
12 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'44.425
13 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'44.546
14 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.610
15 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'44.704
16 53 Polita A. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'45.108
17 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 1'45.179
18 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1'45.199
19 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 1'45.278
20 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'45.393
21 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'45.446
22 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.672
23 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.679
24 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'45.820
25 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'46.128
26 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.916
27 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.971

[marko138]

Spies is looking good.

[ontwo]

Can't wait for the season to start