After a five-week break, Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra’s Max Biaggi and Yukio Kagayama are refreshed and ready for the 11th round of this year’s Superbike World Championship at the Eurospeedway Lausitz in Germany this weekend. Both riders tested at the track in June this year, so it will be one circuit that Biaggi will not be seeing for the first time. Kagayama took a superb win in the first race last year and fourth in the second and will be hoping for more of the same this year. The 4.3 kilometre long track is part of one of the biggest and modern race tracks in the world and only opened for business in 2000. Max Biaggi: “Although I have not raced at Lausitz, I tested here earlier this year so at least I know which way the track goes round! Although it’s not a hugely demanding circuit, it is a track where you need a good rhythm if you are to lap quickly. So, once again, a good set-up is important. Getting a podium in the last round, at a circuit I was racing at for the first time, was very important for me. I have confidence in my own ability and I always give 100% and I will be going to Lausitz with the same attitude. If everything goes well, there is no reason why I cannot take a podium – though two would be better!” Yukio Kagayama: “Last year I had good results in Lausitz so I would like some more of the same this year. The track is OK, though it is not the most difficult track in the calendar. It is mostly flat and there are some slow corners and sometimes it can be a bit of a one-line track. Because of the first chicane and series of bends before the first long straight, it is very important to get a good start. If you don’t, the first riders can pull out a gap and then it’s very hard to catch them up and challenge for the lead. I want to be in the top three at the start of both races and be fighting for the podium places at the end.” 2006 results: Race 1: 1 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 2 Haga (J-Yamaha), 3 Corser (Aus-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 4 Pitt (Aus-Yamaha), 5 Barros (Bra-Honda), 6 Muggeridge (Aus-Honda). Race 2: 1 Toseland (GB-Honda), 2 Haga, 3 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 4 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 5 Muggeridge, 6 Lanzi (I-Ducati). Max Biaggi – DNS.