FIM Superbike World Championship Magny Cours, France October 4, 2009 Race One Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Ben SPIES (Yamaha YZF-R1), 23 laps, 37:57.110 2. Noriyuki HAGA (Ducati 1098F09), -0.181 second 3. Max BIAGGI (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -5.009 seconds 4. Michel FABRIZIO (Ducati 1098F09), -16.347 5. Leon HASLAM (Honda CBR1000RR), -22.622 6. Carlos CHECA (Honda CBR1000RR), -24.948 7. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -27.144 8. Shane BYRNE (Ducati 1098R), -27.578 9. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), -28.486 10. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 1098R), -28.716 11. Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), -52.680 12. Matteo BAIOCCO (Ducati 1098R), -61.372 13. Luca SCASSA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -65.123 14. David SALOM (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -65.483 15. David CHECA (Yamaha YZF-R1), -65.672 16. Roland RESCH (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -89.284 17. Flavio GENTILE (Honda CBR1000RR), -1 lap 18. Leon CAMIER (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -3 laps, DNF, mechanical 19. Sheridan MORAIS (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -10 laps, DNF, retired 20. Fonsi NIETO (Ducati 1098R), -11 laps, DNF, retired 21. Broc PARKES (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -13 laps, DNF, retired 22. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR1000RR), -15 laps, DNF, retired 23. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Honda CBR1000RR), -18 laps, DNF, retired 24. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Honda CBR1000RR), -20 laps, DNF, crash 25. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -20 laps, DNF, crash 26. Tom SYKES (Yamaha YZF-R1), -22 laps, DNF, crash More, from a press release issued by Aprilia: SBK, RACE 1: BIAGGI CLIMBS ATOP THE THIRD STEP OF THE PODIUM It was a cold and windy day at the Magny Cours circuit but the spectators crowded the bleachers just the same for Race 1 of the SBK. Vince Spies, on his Yamaha Factory, raced to the finish line, 0:181 ahead of Haga and 5:009 ahead of Max Biaggi’s RSV4 which finished in third place. Spies started off well from the pole position followed by Biaggi, Rea and Haga, breaking away immediately from all of the others. The American pushed the pace trying to break away but the others would not give up, even though Rea was forced to pull out during the sixth lap. Then it was Biaggi who became the star of the race. Stuck between a rock and a hard place midway through the race he managed to gain ground on Spies, but he closed off any possible entryway to Haga. The race continued that way, at a record-setting pace, up until the sixteenth lap when Max made a mistake and was passed by the Japanese driver. The Roman driver tried to fight back at the first curve, but he took it long and lost ground, so during last five laps, he controlled third place allowing him to conquer his sixth podium of the season after last week’s win at Imola. During his first SBK race with the RSV4, Leon Camier was forced to pull out just three laps before the end of the race due to a technical problem. The Brit, after failing to start off well, struggled to set the pace during the first laps, and was also slowed down by Sykes’ spectacular fall, but halfway through the race he began to achieve some excellent times, managing to catch up to the group that was battling it out for sixth position, until he had to abandon the race in eleventh position. “It was a very exciting race,” said Biaggi, “I started off well, but Spies was pushing hard. During the second part of the race I had a good rhythm and the tyres were working well, so I tried to catch up with him. Just five laps from the end, however, I made a mistake so Haga passed me, and during the next bend I tried to pass him, but I went long and lost a lot of ground. I’m happy, the team did a great job and we found an excellent foundation for Race 2.”