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2011
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SEPTEMBER 2008 WORLD SUPERBIKES - 2009 NEWS THE WORST-KEPT SECRET THIS YEAR... Troy won the Superbike World Championship in 1996, becoming the youngest rider ever to do so in the process, and then again in 2005. He has been runner-up in the WSBK championship once and third place on three occasions. To date he has taken part in over 300 races, been on the podium 126 times, and his 42 pole positions have earned him the nickname of “Mr Superpole”. Troy is married to Sam and they have two children, Kalani Gray (5) and Kelisa Iliana-Rose (3). Troy was born in Wollongong, Australia but he and the family are now Monaco residents. Peter Mueller (Executive Vice President Development and Model Lines) "With Troy and Ruben, I feel confident we will have the best riders possible for our start in the Superbike World Championship. Troy has unrivalled experience in the series and that, together with Ruben’s exuberance, is our ‘dream team’ and the combination we wanted, right from the start of this project. I feel sure that their knowledge of the series will definitely help us become competitive very quickly." Berti Hauser (Director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport) "I am delighted that Troy is joining our team and that our jigsaw is now complete. He was in our minds from the start and I am very happy because I believe he and Ruben are the best combination of riders for our new challenge. Troy has told me that is excited about helping us develop the bike and be part of the project from the start. He also said that he would like to be the first rider in WSBK history to win the title with three different manufacturers and that he is physically and mentally ready make that his target."
Yamaha signs Cal Crutchlow for the 2009
World Supersport Team Crutchlow’s career has been nurtured by Yamaha from the start, it was through The Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup that he first had the opportunity to showcase his talents, taking 2nd place in the 2003 competition, and getting the help up to premier British road racing, making it fitting that he now returns to the Yamaha family to continue developing his career. He moved on to race in the British Supersport Championship, finishing 10th in 2004, 3rd in 2005 and winning the championship in 2006. Championship wins have marked his career from the start, including 1st place in the 1999 UK Junior Challenge and 1st place in the 2001 Aprilia RS 125 Challenge. Cal Crutchlow “I’m really looking forward to the experience. To go into what is in my eyes the top team in the World Supersport paddock and have the opportunity to challenge for a world title with Yamaha is very exciting. I’m really looking forward to next season, I can’t wait!”Wilco Zeelenberg (Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager) “We’ve been talking to many strong riders over the last couple of months and have beenfollowing Cal’s progress this year in The British Superbike Championship, he’s really impressed us. We’re convinced that his riding style will suit our YZF R6 very well. He’s a very good Supersport rider, we know that coming from Superbikes to Supersport riders don’t have any issues with speed. The 2009 championship will be tough again and we have seen him prove on track that he is happy to get in the middle of the pack and fight for the win.”Laurens Klein Koerkamp (Racing Division Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe) “With Cal we are confident that we have another title challenger next to Fabien Foret for the 2009 season. At only 22yrs old he has a wealth of experience on both Superbikes and Supersport machines already. It is also really pleasing for us to see a rider from the R6 Cup stepping up to a world level competition on a Yamaha.” ...OTHER RIDERS... Ruben Xaus - BMW Factory WSBCarlos Checa - probability is he stays with Hannspree Ten Kate Honda for 2009 and another shot at the Suzuka 8 Hour.. Jonathan Rea - Hannspree Ten Kate alongside Carlos Checa.. Kenan Sofuoglu - back to Hannspree Ten Kate World Supersports.. Regis Laconi - either Yamaha France or GMT94.. Yukio Kagayama - staying with Alstare Suzuki for a 5th season.. Tommy Hill - riding for Hannspree Althea Honda.. Tom Sykes - new for Santander Yamaha..(No.2 possibilities are Sylvain Guintoli and Ben Spies) David Checa - stays with GMT94.. Max Biaggi - Aprilia's No.1 rider for 2009.. Roberto Rolfo - linked with Aprilia, chasing the No.2 ride.. Noriyuki Haga - Ducati's No.1 rider for 2009.. ...possibilities... ...one to watch for...LEON CAMIER... MORE NEWS ABOUT ZELTWEG - SPIELBERG It seems that confirming news of the work going on in Austria has been posted at another website - HERE - so let's hope that the strong Austrian World Endurance fan-base can influence things there...and the rumour of the Bol d'Or moving back to Paul Ricard just doesn't want to die. At the moment, nothing written down...but a chat with a former WEC champion from the UK seems to point that way... The Bol d'Or page should now be finalized with all outstanding reports... click here for NEWS, REPORTS, LIVE TIMING AND LIVE VIDEO FEED!MORE RUMOURS... Hold up on the doom-and-gloom for just a little while...2009 might NOT be a total loss. Just think of the people who are intending to be in the 2009 World Endurance Championship...BMW, no small-time operators, will still be in (update - NO THEY WON'T, the official word is that they are concentrating all their resources on their entry into World Superbikes...bah humbug...) - do you think that they would be pleased about NOT getting TV coverage? Then there's Honda France and Bernard Rigoni probably back after 8 years when Wim Honda won the 2001 Championship and the Elf Honda team won the Bol d'Or Superbike category that year. After a few discrete enquiries at the Bol test, the BMW camp have intimated that Eurosport may still get the nod... MIKE "SPIKE" EDWARDS - 1ST OFFICIAL ACU COMMERCIAL ROAD RACING "PROFESSOR" SPIKE'S PRESS RELEASE:
Dave Luscombe, head of the ACU Training Department said, “Mike is the perfect ambassador for road race coaching. I can think of no better person to have as a coach and the news that Mike will be the first commercial road race coach should be seen as a fantastic opportunity for anyone wishing to develop their racing skills” The ACU Coach Certification Programme was launched in 2003 with the aim of developing a professional coach structure for British Motorcycle Sport. Whilst the off road sports have embraced the project enthusiastically with over 25 commercial ACU Certified off road sporting motorcycle coaches, the road race scene has been far less dynamic. Dave Luscombe continues: “The ACU is naturally delighted with the news that Mike Edwards will be the first ACU Certified Commercial Road Race Coach. As one of the most successful and experienced motorcycle road racers in the country, Mike has so much to give to new riders and those wishing to improve their skills. Indeed, there can be few racers anywhere with as many racing miles as Mike.” |
