Folch Yamaha Second in 24 Hours of Catalunya With three hours to go in the 24 Hours of Catalunya, the leading Folch Yamaha bike, ridden by Kenny Noyes, Dani Ribalta and Salva Cabana, was holding a one lap lead over the second Folch Yamaha (Josep Monge, Alex Martinez and Bernat Martinez) with an additional lap advantage over the Catala Suzuki team of Javier Fores, Diego Lozano and Alex Hervas. It had not been easy for Noyes and Cabana, who had ridden since the tenth hour without the services of Ribalta, taken to hospital after a ninth hour crash that put the team two laps down. The two, alternating on an hourly basis, had managed to fight their way back into the lead, with the second Folch team in a strong back-up position, when, within minutes, both Noyes and Monge crashed on spilled oil from another machine. The Catalan National Police Honda, smoking and leaking oil, had just passed, but corner workers showed no warning even after Noyes, first on the scene, went down at 110 miles per hour. Monge was next arrive was Hervas dicing with Monge.The Suzuki rider managed to recover from a long slide, but Monge crashed. Noyes had just arrived back at the team garage for emergency repairs when Monge also brought in his damaged machine. Folch mechanics were able to get both back on track. Hervas was unable to continue on the lead lap but Noyes, though injured, returned to the track two laps down and three hours to go. Even after all this the riders of Folch’s second machine were able to fight their way back into the lead before a mechanical problem silenced their R1 in the final hour, handing an unexpected victory to Catala Suzuki. Ribalta returned from the hospital just in time to give his exhausted team mates, Noyes and Cabana, a much-needed break by riding the final hour and bringing their battered Folch Yamaha home second. Podium celebrations were subdued and many of the acts planned to celebrate this 50th running of the Barcelona classic were cancelled due to the somber announcement, made by organizers prior to the prize giving, that French rider Xavier Fabra (EMPP Endurance Suzuki) had died at Granollers General Hospital only hours after his pre-dawn crash at the end of the fast home straight. “I was feeling a little sorry for myself after our bad luck until I heard the news about the French rider and realized we only lost a motorcycle race,” said Noyes. “I can barely walk now, but it’s just bruising from going over the top like that.” The next race for Folch riders Noyes and Bernat Martinez is round three of the Spanish National Formula Extreme Championship on July 17 at the Circuit of Catalunya. Top finishers: Catala Suzuki (Hervas, Fores, Lozano) 724 laps Folch Yamaha (Noyes, Ribalta, Cabana) 722 laps Glaner Honda (Lascroz, Roda, Almeda) 713 laps Fastest Lap among finishers: Noyes 1:51.298 A record of 72 teams started and 55 finished.