Ducati Corse

Reigning champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) will go into the penultimate round of the World Superbike Championship next weekend at Assen (Netherlands) with a 29 point lead over his chief rival Colin Edwards (Honda) after twice finishing runner-up to the American, who led both Oschersleben races today from lights to flag. Both Ruben Xaus (Ducati Infostrada) and Ben Bostrom (Ducati L&M) were unable to challenge on the day, while Neil Hodgson (HM Plant Ducati) completed an identical podium in both races with two thirds.

Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) spent much of race 1 trying to latch onto second-placed Hodgson but he eventually got underneath going into Turn 3 and passed Neil in a clean move on lap 22. "It was a tough race for me, but that's the best I've been all weekend. It's not much fun being on the second row and I was a bit worried about the first corner but it turned out well for me. When I did get past Neil it didn't start from under the brakes, it started from the corner before, Neil got the smallest of slides, and that gave me just enough run to get up the side of him and make my move at the next corner. I was then happy to stay in second place". In race 2, Troy got a better start to follow Colin into the first corner and eventually finish over three seconds adrift of the American. "I couldn't do anything more otherwise I would have been in the gravel. After two-thirds of the race, you know you're not going to make up three seconds in a couple of laps so I settled for second. I can honestly say my weekend started this morning, because I was just unable to get things right in qualifying. I couldn't do anything about Colin here, he's had a great weekend, but now we go to Assen, which is one of my favourite tracks"

Xaus (Ducati Infostrada) lost time at the start of race 1 with a loose knee-slider and when he was trying to catch Hodgson in third, he lost the front under braking at the final curve on lap 23. In the second race he recovered from a slow start to finish fifth. "My lap times were good today so I'm quite happy with my performance" declared Ruben. "In race 1 I had to fight and work hard to recover from the gap I lost at the beginning when I was stuck behind Ben. I got really close to third place but fell off. I got a bad start in race 2 and was eighth on the first lap. It took a long time to pass Ben again, but the rest of the race I was pushing hard and calculating whether I could reach Haga and Hodgson before the end. I  finished four seconds from them so I'm quite happy with my second race".

A fourth and a sixth place today for Bostrom (Ducati L&M), which still leaves him in fourth place in the championship, one point ahead of Haga. "I tried very hard, we just needed a bit more grip in that first race" commented Ben. "In race 2, I put the same tyre as Neil on but it worked worse on my bike, all we did was go backwards. I should have stuck with the same tyre because maybe with the hotter conditions in the afternoon it would have not been so bad. I had to try something, I just wish I could have got some better results today".

HM Plant Ducati GSE

HM Plant Ducati’s Neil Hodgson scored a podium double at Oschersleben after he matched his first race performance by finishing third behind race winner Colin Edwards and championship leader Troy Bayliss. Edwards made the holeshot once again, but this time he was pursued by Troy Bayliss with Hodgson taking a watching brief in third.

Edwards was setting a record breaking pace at the front, which left Hodgson in a fierce confrontation for the last podium position with Noriyuki Haga. “I rode just as hard as I had done in race one,” said Hodgson. “The pace was hot, but as always I gave it 110% and got a just reward for my grit and determination.

“I have increased my advantage for third in the championship points table to 60 points, so I’ve got to be happy with that. This was a poor round for me last year, so I’m equally happy to have secured a couple of podium finishes at Oschersleben.”

The other HM Plant Ducati of James Toseland came home in eighth position to consolidate his seventh place overall in the Superbike World Championship, with two rounds remaining. “I came here determined to make up for the disappointment of the last round at Brands Hatch,” admitted the 21-year-old Sheffield rider. “I achieved my objective and am going to Assen in a positive frame of mind.

“I have been consistently fast here at Oschersleben during qualifying. I have also been happy with how I have been able to translate my practice form into race pace. Now, I’ve got to get better starts and work hard in the early stages of each leg. I left myself with too much to do in today’s races.”