The ninth WorldSSP round got underway today at the Nevers-Magny Cours circuit in France. In warm, sunny conditions, the Kawasaki WorldSSP Team made the most of free practice with Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter and Spaniard Jeremy Alcoba, working to refine the setup of their Ninja ZX-6R 636 bikes ahead of the afternoon’s Superpole.
Alcoba placed ninth (1’40”716), while Aegerter (1’41”633) classified twentieth.
Superpole ran in the early afternoon and proved unlucky for Jeremy Alcoba who, on course to complete a lap quick enough to secure pole, was hindered by a slower rider who ultimately caused him to crash, though fortunately the Kawasaki WorldSSP rider was not hurt.
Jeremy had to settle for fifth thanks to a 1’40”107 he had set earlier, a positive result nonetheless that will see him line up on the second row of the grid for tomorrow’s 19-lap race.
Fifteenth for Aegerter (1’40”659) who will start the race from row five.
Jeremy Alcoba
“During these two months off, I really missed my bike and racing, so I’m happy to be back here and experience these emotions again. I’m pleased because today we picked up where we left off, namely with the excellent result we achieved at Donington, where we were very fast. I’m disappointed about the crash, which most likely prevented me from fighting for pole position, but I’m aware of my potential and that of my bike, so I’m very confident heading into tomorrow’s race.”
Dominique Aegerter
“This morning’s practice was tough, but the team did a great job in the afternoon, providing me with a better bike for Superpole. Unfortunately, a yellow flag in the final stages of qualifying prevented me from improving on my time. In the end we’re fifteenth, less than a second from pole. Both me and the team did our best and will continue to do all we can tomorrow as we want to score the best possible result for ourselves, for our sponsors and for our many fans here in France.”
