WSBK CHAMPION TROY BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX) MAKES MAGNY-COURS DEBUT
Magny-Cours (France), Thursday 5th October: The final act of the 2006
World Superbike Championship takes place this weekend at the Magny-Cours
circuit, near Nevers in central France. After Troy Bayliss's splendid
triumph last weekend at Imola for the Ducati Xerox Team, the
Manufacturers' title now remains to be assigned. A fifth place (11
points) is all that is required for Ducati to clinch title number 14 in
this particular category.
Troy Bayliss arrives at Magny-Cours directly from Paris, where together
with team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi he took part in a promotional event for
Oakley and Ducati France, which included a photo-session beneath the Arc
de Trionfe.
"I feel really good, we've achieved what we set out to achieve" declared
Troy. "It's not over yet though because when you win the championship
you've got to back it up and prove you are the number 1 and also we want
to win the manufacturers' championship so it'll be lovely to finish that
off this weekend and we'll all be very happy. I've never been to
Magny-Cours before and just rode the scooter round for a couple of laps.
Davide Tardozzi took me around and showed me where we were good last
year. The layout didn't do a lot for me but I think we can find our way
around here pretty good and you never know when I actually ride the real
bike I might take a liking to it".
Lorenzo Lanzi won his second race here last year on a factory Ducati 999
machine run in Scuderia Caracchi colours. This year he aims to finish off
the season with a similar performance for the Ducati Xerox squad.
"Last year I won race 2 here after a great battle with Chris (Vermeulen)
so I hope to be able to repeat that feat this year. I really like the
track, and I've always gone well here since 2003 and Superstock days. The
weather conditions are not very promising, with the possibility of some
rain, but we will try and go well in practice and qualifying to get the
best set-up for the races".
-credit: www.ducati.com
