By Glenn Le Santo

Ben Bostrom, winner of the last five World Superbike races on the trot, ‘woke up’ to snatch the provisional pole position in the final qualifying session at Oschersleben today. The Californian, who has admitted that he isn’t a ‘morning’ person, said, “I wake up around mid-day and get going.” Bostrom put in the fastest lap moments before the end of the session. Fellow Ducati rider Ruben Xaus also hauled himself up the ranking into third on the same lap. Troy Corser, who had led qualifying from the start of the first session, slipped back to second.

Neil Hodgson briefly held provisional pole after catapulting himself up the table, but the fast laps by Bostrom and Xaus pushed him back into fourth. Troy Bayliss was fifth-fastest ahead of Colin Edwards.

Final grid positions will be determined by Superpole this afternoon.

Fastest Qualifiers And Superpole Participants:

1. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 1:27.610
2. Troy Corser, Australia, Aprilia, 1:27.656
3. Ruben Xaus, Spain, Ducati, 1:27.690
4. Neil Hodgson, Great Britain, Ducati, 1:27.827
5. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 1:28.146
6. Colin Edwards, USA, Honda, 1:28.151
7. Tadayuki Okada, Japan, Honda, 1:28.493
8. James Toseland, Great Britain, Ducati, 1:28.519
9. Regis Laconi, France, Aprilia, 1:28.521
10. Steve Martin, Australia, Ducati, 1:28.627
11. Pierfrancesco Chili, Italy, Suzuki, 1:28.824
12. Stephan Chambon, France, Suzuki, 1:28.900
13. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain, Kawasaki, 1:28.923
14. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:28.923
15. Robert Ulm, Austria, Ducati, 1:28.942
16. G. Bussei, Italy, Ducati, 1:29.212