Edwards' round four success was long awaited for the 28-year-old after a difficult start to the season. Yet, despite his 24-point deficit to series leader Troy Bayliss, Edwards leads the way in terms of podium finishes in 2002 with seven from eight races, more than any other rider.

His record at Monza is equally impressive. From eight starts since the Texan joined the Castrol Honda team in 1998 Edwards has never finished lower than second place taking three wins, two in 1998 and one in 2000.

"Don't ask me what it is about Monza, I just love the place," says Edwards. "It's a very special place as far as motor sport goes and I think I've been sucked into that nostalgia and the unique atmosphere there."

He continues: "This Sunday is all about winning races and taking more points from Troy Bayliss. We know the story with the Monza set-up and the Michelins have always been good there.

"The races at Monza are all about getting a good grid position, somewhere on the first two rows, then making a decent start but, more often than not, it will come down to the last few corners of each race to decide the winner."

Ten Kate Honda's Fabien Foret will go in search of his second win of the year in round five of the World Supersport championship at Monza as he bids to close the 18-point gap to championship leader Stephane Chambon.

"Monza is all about power and we know we have the power with the CBR600," says Foret. "I'm as confident of winning at Monza as I was before winning the first round in Spain two months ago."

Suzuki's Chambon leads the way in the 12-round series, seven points ahead of reigning champion Andrew Pitt with Foret third, 11 behind the Australian Kawasaki rider.

John McGuinness returns to World Supersport action after the Honda UK team rider recovered from the bout of pneumonia which forced him out of the South African and Japanese races.

He is partnered by Karl Muggeridge who is hoping to add to his best finish of the year after the Australian took sixth place at Sugo in round four.

Along with Muggeridge, four other Honda riders fill the 11th to 15th places in the championship, all looking for one strong finish at Monza to rocket them up the standings. Chris Vermeulen leads the charge, holding 11th place at present but the young Australian, on the Van zon Honda, is just one win away from fourth place in the championship standings.

Monza data:
Superbike:
2001 Qualifying: Pier-Francesco Chili (Suzuki) 1m 48.584s
2001 Superpole: Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 1m 48.649s
2001 winner: Troy Bayliss (Ducati) x 2
Lap record: Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda) 1m 48.913s (May 2001)

Supersport:
2001 pole position: Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati) 1m 53.858s
2001 winner: James Whitham (Yamaha)
Lap record: Andrew Pitt (Kawasaki) 1m 54.271s (May 2001)

World Superbike championship points after four of 13 rounds: 1 Troy Bayliss, Australia (Ducati) 174, 2 Colin Edwards, USA (Castrol Honda) 150, 3 Neil Hodgson, GB (Ducati) 98, 4 Ben Bostrom, USA (Ducati) 95, 5 Noriyuki Haga, Japan (Aprilia) 87, 6 Ruben Xaus, Spain (Ducati) 86, 7 James Toseland, GB (Ducati) 57, 8 Chris Walker, GB (Kawasaki) 52, 9 Hitoyasu Izutsu, Japan (Kawasaki) 47, 10 Makoto Tamada, Japan (Honda) 45.

Manufacturers points: 1 Ducati 179, 2 Honda 155, 3 Aprilia 87, 4 Kawasaki 74, 5 Suzuki 38, 6 Yamaha 16.

World Supersport championship points after round four of 12: 1 Stephane Chambon, France (Suzuki) 77, 2 Andrew Pitt, Australia (Kawasaki) 70, 3 Fabien Foret, France (Honda) 59, 4 Christian Kellner, Germany (Yamaha) 47, 5 Katsuaki Fujiwara Japan (Suzuki) 33, =6 James Whitham, GB (Yamaha), Piergiorgio Bontempi, Italy (Ducati), Jorg Teuchert, Germany (Yamaha) and Paolo Casoli, Italy (Yamaha) 30, 10 Alessio Corradi, Italy (Yamaha) 26.

Manufacturers points: 1 Suzuki 77, 2 Kawasaki 70, 3 Honda 61,