Kyalami (South Africa) - Ducati Private Testing

Brent Plummer
by Brent Plummer
Ducati PR rep Michele Morisetti sends in the following report, and as a bonus, a couple really really nice, big wallpaper images of Troy Bayliss and Reuben Xaus. Interesting that Xaus was only a tenth of a second off Bayliss. And, where's Ben? No love on the "other" team...


Follow the image link
for the big Bayliss & Xaus wallpapers.


Kyalami (South Africa) - Private Testing26/27 January 2001

Final day of private testing for Ducati's 996R Factory bikes at Kyalamibefore the official SBK International-organised winter tests getunderway here on Monday. Both Bayliss and Xaus improved on yesterday'stimes but the Spanish rider crashed out one minute from the end of thesession.The factory Ducati Corse squad continued tyre testing in collaborationwith Michelin, testing new compounds and sizes. Bayliss and Xaus dividedthe testing programme which had been planned with the French tyreengineers. Öhlins brought along a brand-new pressurised front fork,which was appreciated by the riders because it absorbs thecharacteristic dips and bumps of the South African circuit better.

Troy Bayliss immediately improved on yesterday's time after getting togrips with the difficult and twisty Kyalami track, but Ruben Xauscrashed out at the end of the session after getting under yesterday'stime. The Spanish rider lost front-end grip on the downhill sectionbefore the final part of the track and suffered a sprained neck musclein the incident. An X-ray ruled out any broken bones and Ruben will beback on track soon.

said Troy Bayliss. .

TEMPERATURE: AM air 21°/ground 31° - PM 27°/45°WEATHER: clear skies

UNOFFICIAL TIMES:

Superbike: Bayliss (Ducati Corse) 1'43"90 - Xaus (Ducati Corse) 1'44"00- Edwards (Honda) 1'43"13 - Okada (Honda) 1'43"54

Supersport: Guareschi (Ducati Dienza) 1'47"61 - Thomas (Ducati Dienza)1'47"91 - Vermeulen (Honda) 1'48"52.

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Brent Plummer
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