Magny Cours was the scene of some intense fight for the Bol d’Or Superpole this afternoon. After a breathtaking session, Matthieu Lagrive managed to keep the Honda Michelin Power Research Team on pole position after a very impressive 1’40.366 hot lap. Gwen Giabbani tried to put an end to the game by signing a fantastic 1’40.769 on the Yamaha Austria Racing Team. However, Matthieu Lagrive was able to put the Honda Michelin on pole position for the second time this season. Vincent Philippe placed the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team in the top three, but laping for the first time under 1’41. His best lap in 1’40.855 gave the SERT great confidence in their abilities of performing well during the race. The Honda National Motos with Emeric Jonchière took the fourth place from the GSR Kawasaki of Kenny Noyes. Unfortunately, Yamaha GMT 94 is the great looser of the session: Erwan Nigon started his fast lap well but then nearly crashed. The Yamaha will start tomorrow from sixth place. The rest of the starting grid doesn’t change from the qualification results: BK Maco Moto Racing Team, RAC 41 City Bike, Bolliger Team Switzerland and Suzuki Junior Team LMS. Superpole Results: 1. Michelin Power Research Team, Matthieu Lagrive (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:40.366 2. Yamaha Austria Racing Team, Gwen Giabbani (Yam YZF-R1), 1:40.769 3. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, Vincent Philippe (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:40.855 4. National Motos, Emeric Jonchiere (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:41.792 5. Team GSR – Kawasaki, Xavi Fores (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:41.806 6. Yamaha France – GMT 94 Ipone, Erwan Nigon (Yam YZF-R1), 1:41.964 7. BK Maco Moto Racing, Jason Pridmore (Yam YZF-R1), 1:42.141 8. Rac 41 – City Bike, Gregory Junod (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:42.626 9. Bolliger Team Switzerland, Horst Saiger (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:42.865 10. Junior Team Suzuki LMS, Cedric Tangre (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:43.278 More, from a press release issued by Kenny Noyes’ publicist: Kenny Noyes Looking Forward to Tough, Dry Bol d´Or American Kenny Noyes and his Team GSR-Kawasaki team mates, Kenny Foray of France and Xavier Fores of Spain, will start fifth tomorrow in the 73rd running of the classic Bol d´Or 24 Hours at Magny-Cours in France, the penultimate round of the FIM World Endurance Championship. For Kenny a low-side crash in the first qualifying session on Thursday was a slight set-back, but the Spanish-based American managed to find a good pace on Friday and is optimistic about the team’s chances and looking forward to a long, hard battle, hopefully in dry conditions. “Things didn’t start smoothly yesterday, but today was good. On Thursday I went out in the half-hour qualifying session thinking I was on a new rear tire, but it was a used one and I had a slow, low-side crash on the third lap. By the time we were running again I had no time to even put in a qualifier. Today though,” he said after the final Friday session, “I spent the first half of the session getting used to the Pirelli race tire. I’ve used Pirelli before, but I’ve been on Michelin all year and I had to find the right feeling. I was able to run steady 43´s on the race tire and that was what I wanted to do today. On the Qualifier I was a little conservative passing slower riders and didn’t get into the 41´s, and the 1:42.4 my best, but on race tires I think that my pace will between high 42´s and the 43s and if all three of us, Kenny Foray, Xavier Fores and I can keep that pace we’ll be in with a chance.” “This is a good team and they are hungry to win this race. They have never won this one and want it bad. Last year I was second in Albacete with Suzuki Spain in a World Endurance race that was wet from start to finish, so I am so glad to see the forecast for dry nights and sunny days on Saturday and Sunday. Endurance is tough enough without having to ride cold and wet. This one should be fun.” Final starting positions were decided in a ten-rider Superpole with the fastest qualifier of each team completing a single flying lap. Local French riders took the top six places in Superpole: William Costes (Michelin Power Research Honda) set the best time of 1:40.769 followed by Gwen Giabbani (YART Yamaha), Vincent Philippe (SERT-Suzuki), Sabastien Jonchiere (National Motors-Honda) Kenny Foray (Team GMS Kawasaki) and Erwan Nigon (Yamaha France GMT94). First non-French rider in Superpole was Jason Pridmore, who slotted the BK Maco Racing-Yamaha team into seventh. Four Americans will start the French marathon tomorrow at 3:00 PM local time: In addition to Noyes, Pridmore will be joined on the BK Maco Yamaha team by Josh Hayes (third rider in Spaniard Dani Ribalta) and Will Gruy and team mates Anthony Dos Santos of France and Ayrton Badovini of Italy will start 15th on their Amadeus X One Yamaha.