Leading a host of private teams into this weekend's opening round of the 2001 World SuperBike Championship is expected to be the British GSE Ducati squad of last year's British superbike champion Neil Hodgson and promising 20-year-old James Toseland. 

The team has made the step up from British SuperBike to the world stage this year and from early season testing it seems that their Neil Hodgson is going to be a serious threat. Hodgson won the British Superbike Championship and two World Superbike races as a wild card entry last year at Donington Park and Brands Hatch, is eager to make his return to the international scene after spending two years racing in the UK. “I can’t wait to get back to racing the GSE Ducati,” said the 27-year-old. “I’ve enjoyed racing in Britain, but I’m really looking forward to competing against the top guys at tracks all over the world. The GSE Racing team has been brilliant to work with over the past two years and we are all looking forward to the challenge. “I’ve not raced at Valencia before, but after two tests I was able to grasp the characteristics of the circuit and check out the opposition. This weekend I’m aiming for two strong finishes, but it’s going to be tough this year with former 500cc Grand Prix rider Okada, Bayliss and current World Champion, Edwards as my competition.”

They also bring to the world scene what is probably England's brightest young rider and a lot of expectation will be placed on the shoulders of 20 year old James Toseland as the UK is in dire need of some promising young talent. “It’s going to be a steep learning curve for me and I’m glad that I’m taking this step in my career with such a professional and well-organised team,” said Toseland. “I’ve already ridden on most of the circuits on this year’s calendar when I competed in the World Supersport Championship, so I’m not completely new to the scene.”

Ben Bostrom is keen for this weekend, "There are some circuits where you immediately establish a special feeling and Valencia is one of these. Here in 2000 I obtained my best result of the season with two second places. On Sunday I want to improve on that."

Troy Bayliss - "In the last two weeks I have kept myself in form so as not to lose my concentration. I can't wait for the championship to start. Everything is ready, the bike is fantastic, Michelin has done a superb job this winter and I hope to be able to improve on the third and fourth places I picked up last year."

Spain's Ruben Xaus makes his first race appearance on a Superbike at his home circuit. "I love the power of my Ducati and I am really happy to have arrived in Superbike after my experience in Supersport. A learning period is beginning for me, but with a bike like this it will be difficult to stay behind. This is a great opportunity for me. I know I will have to face up to riders with more experience, but I hope I can soon cause them a few problems."

World Superbike champion Colin Edwards is in confident mood as the 27-year-old American rider begins the defence of his title at Valencia in Spain on Sunday.

Edwards took six pole positions and eight race wins on his way to the 2000 championship crown, all in the first year of Honda's new, 1000cc V-twin SP-1 machine. "I think we proved mid-season that 2000 was a development year for the new machine but it's a sign of Honda's ability that we bounced back from a troubled couple of rounds to win the championship,' recalls Edwards.

A disappointing fifth and fourth places at the 2.95-mile (4.750km) Valencia circuit last year are the reason why Edwards - entering his fourth season with the Castrol Honda team - wants to impress on Sunday.  "Testing at Valencia has always gone well but the races there last year were disappointing," continues Edwards. "I'm confident I can win on Sunday. Valencia is a technical circuit and we know we have to have the set-up of the machine and the Michelin tyres working well, that's what we aim to do."

Making his World Superbike debut at Valencia is Edwards' new team-mate Tady Okada. The affable Japanese rider has switched from 500cc grands prix and has proven in pre-season testing that he has the ability and experience to challenge for the 2001 championship.  "Ideally I would have liked a little more testing but we've still got two days at Valencia before I go into the races," admits Okada. "I've got a very good team around me and I know I will be in with a strong chance of success by the time I'm sat on the startline on Sunday."

The Castrol Honda pairing of Edwards and Okada enter one of the most competitive World Superbike seasons ever with challenges likely to come from a host of manufacturers and riders.

Troy Corser on the Aprilia is joined by another ex-GP rider Regis Laconi, the Frenchman is also a former 500cc GP race winner at Valencia. The Ducati trio of Michelin-shod Troy Bayliss and Ruben Xaus and Dunlop-shod Ben Bostrom are evidence of the Italian manufacturer's bid to wrestle the title back from Honda.

In the Suzuki camp Frenchman Stephane Chambon is eager to get his first World Championship season on a Superbike underway after winning the World Supersport Championship in 1999, while his Italian team mate Pierfrancesco Chili is out to mount a serious assault on the championship.  Both riders have benefited from a busy off-season testing regime to help them get used to their new for 2001 Suzuki GSX-R750 race bikes. Both riders have lapped the test circuits quicker than ever before and are now happy with their bikes and are confident they will manage to find good set-ups for the coming races.  Chambon has ridden in the Superbike World Championship before, as a privateer, but this will be his first full-factory Superbike ride and he is relishing the chance to run with the 'big boys'. 

Pierfrancesco Chili - "I think the new GSX-R 750 Suzuki has a lot of potential. I was happy with it right from the first test and it was only last time out that we found some problems. But, that's part of the game and we have to work out how to solve problems when they happen. Valencia is not one of my favourite circuits. It is the modern type with a lot of slow corners and we have to use second and third gears a lot. I like circuits where you can keep up good corner speed and go fast. That's what racing is for me. Last year Valencia was not very good for me ­ a ninth and a retirement, so I'm hoping that this year will be better." 

Stephane Chambon - "Last year I was on the Suzuki Alstare Supersport bike, so this year will be very different for me. I am enjoying the challenge of riding the bigger bike, but I'm sensible enough to know that I cannot just jump on the bigger bike and win straightaway. I'm going to start the season steadily, learn more about the bike and than begin to push really hard as soon as I feel confident." 

Kawasaki has retained the same two superbike riders in Akira Yanagawa and Gregorio Lavilla and will have reigning Japanese superbike champion Hitoyasu Izutsu on board for at least seven of the 13 rounds this year.

Along with Australia's World SuperBike runners and stars from last year, Troy Bayliss & Troy Corser we have World Endurance Champion Warwick Nowland (Ducati), Broc Parkes (Ducati), Marty Craggill (Ducati) and the '99 Australian SuperBike Champion Steve Martin also on a Ducati.  These guys are likely to be on much lower spec machinery, but as normal, if the situation/machinery allows these Aussies will also run up the front.  

As discussed is our interview early in January Peter Goddard will not be making the grid onboard the Benelli for the first few rounds.  

2000 qualifying, fastest: Troy Corser, Australia (Aprilia) 1m 36.661s
2000 Superpole: Troy Corser, Australia (Aprilia) 1m 36.185s
2000 race winners: Troy Corser, Australia (Aprilia) and Noriyuki Haga, Japan (Yamaha)
Lap record: Troy Corser, Australia (Aprilia) 1m 36.817s (June 2000)

Last year at Valencia - 2000 Race 1 - 2000 Race 2 - 2000 Images - 2000 Quotes

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