SYLVAIN GUINTOLI, AFTER SUFFERING A DISLOCATED COLLARBONE DURING TRAINING, WILL FLY TO MOSCOW ANYWAY WHERE HE WILL ASSESS HIS CONDITIONS. NORTHERN IRISH RIDER EUGENE LAVERTY, LYING THIRD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND OPTIMISTIC AFTER THE TESTS AT IMOLA, HAS HIS SIGHTS SET ON THE PODIUM. APRILIA WILL ARRIVE AT MOSCOW AS RANKING LEADER IN THE MANUFACTURER CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 289 PUNTI, FOLLOWED BY KAWASAKI (259), BMW (237), HONDA (138), SUZUKI (122) AND DUCATI (96). Noale, 17 July 2013 – The World Superbike caravan will be taking on one of the most particular trips this week in order to reach the Moscow Raceway circuit. This is the second time the WSBK teams will tread on Russian soil after the track’s Début last year to resume the battle for a championship which has become more and more uncertain and heated at the top after the Imola round. Aprilia Racing Team rider Sylvain Guintoli unfortunately fell victim to a dislocated right shoulder affecting the cartilage due to a bicycle fall during training. The Frenchman will be at Moscow with his team in any case to assess, together with the Team and the Mobile Clinic doctors, his conditions and decide whether or not to participate in the races. Sylvain, lying second in the Championship standings and a strong contender for the lead, is still quite motivated to get back in the saddle as soon as possible. Sylvain Guintoli: “Last Sunday I had a bicycle accident and dislocated my collarbone. After many thoughts, I took the decision to ride in Moscow. It is going to be a very hard challenge and a very painful weekend but my aim is to fight for the Championship”. Team mate Eugene Laverty approaches the Russian round with very clear ideas. The rider from Toomebridge is anxious to leave behind the hard luck that plagued the first half of his season and which, despite his four wins, has relegated him to third place in the overall championship standings. The tests conducted on the track by the Santerno immediately after race Sunday instilled confidence in Eugene, now ready to take on the next three rounds (Moscow, Silverstone and the Nürburgring) in a single swoop. Eugene Laverty: “I feel very confident about the next three circuits of Moscow, Silverstone and Nurburgring. It will be important to gain back points in the title fight starting this weekend in Russia. My aim is to gain some consistency and win some races over the next six races”. The Russian track has completely unique characteristics. Just under four kilometres long, the Moscow Raceway stands out for an extremely curvy and flowing section followed by a long straight stretch (about a thousand metres). For final performance it is therefore quite important to reach a delicate compromise in terms of the chassis and electronics set-up. Aprilia will arrive at Moscow as leader in the Manufacturer World Championship with 289 points followed by Kawasaki (259), BMW (237), Honda (138), Suzuki (122) and Ducati (96).