KTM Superbike Team Germany on the podium at the Nuerburgring With two second places in the two races of the IDM Superbike competition at Germany’s Nuerburgring on Sunday, KTM Superbike Germany’s Stefan Nebel was on the podium and is now second in the championship. Both Stefan Nebel und Didier van Keymeulen, the team’s two KTM RC8 R riders, already had strong results in the two timed training sessions for the fifth and sixth races of the season, enough to raise the team’s expectations about the two race results. Nebel as second and van Keymeulen as third fastest had already secured font row grid positions at the end of the 40-minute training sessions. Race One Initially neither of the KTM Superbike Germany Team riders was able to take full advantage of their good starting positions. Didier was fifth and Stefan only eighth at the end of the first lap of the 3.6 km long short configuration version of the Nuerburgring GP circuit. But then the 15,000 spectators of the third IDM event in the 2009 season enjoyed a gripping pursuit in the next 20 laps. Nebel was able to celebrate his first podium in the saddle of the Superbike RC8R less than a second behind championship leader Joerg Teuchert and with a 3.7 second advantage over Arne Tode. With his fourth “top five” result in five races, the 28-year old Nebel also took over second position in the IDM Superbike standings. Didier’s performance was also very strong. The former Supersport and Superstock 1000 competitor was riding with injuries to both hands and on his back after a wild crash during training last Monday. Despite the injuries – van Keymeulen is currently not able to op en a water bottle on his own – the Belgian warrior gritted his teeth and still finished the first race in sixth place. Race Two Both KTM riders were even more impressive in the second race, which was shortened to 20 laps after a restart as a result of an accident in the warm-up lap. Going into the first corner Van Keymeulen, followed by Nebel led the field. Then while “DVK” had to concede to five riders over the distance, Nebel led almost the entire race and delivered a spectacular three way battle with Tode and Teuchert. And even though Nebel had to concede defeat to Tode by just 0.256 seconds following an overhaul manoeuvre, the team still had plenty to celebrate. With a repeat of the results in the first race, KTM team boss Konrad Hefele was again able to pick up the trophy for the best team result. Stefan Nebel (2. /2.) “I’m extremely thrilled that I was able to fight for the two wins in my home races. It’s really great that after a break in racing during 2008 that I can twice stand on the podium in second place and it shows that we’ve all worked well. I already felt in training that things would go well for us here. We managed to do a perfect set up for my bike, right down to the tiniest details. It’s a shame that it wasn’t enough to take the victory but I think in our situation that every podium is like a win – thanks to all the team!” Didier van Keymeulen (6. /6.) “It is difficult for me to be satisfied with my results here at the Nuerburgring – but I have to be. Nothing more was possible in my current physical condition and despite that I still wanted to pick up as many points as possible. Anyway I could still improve in the standings by a couple of places to be in seventh and the set up of my bike was again very good. My compliments to Stefan, I think here as a team we managed to get the best result that was possible for us. Konrad Hefele – Team boss KTM Superbike Team Germany “That was certainly our best result yet for our team in the IDM. Our bikes ran like clockwork in all the training sessions and in the races and we were competitive. However as well as paying a big compliment to our two riders I have to say our whole team is working perfectly together and we really deserved the trophy for the most successful team.” Championships Standings 1. Joerg Teuchert, Germany, 141 points 2. Stefan Nebel, Germany, KTM RC8 R, 84 3. Arne Tode, Germany, 73 4. Werner Neerpelt, Belgium, 70 5. Kai-Borre Andersen, Norway, 47 Other KTM 7. Didier van Keymeulen, Belgium, 45