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Hoek Van Holland 2016. Leaving the Netherlands following the annual pilgrimage to Assen to race our bikes.

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NLDWorldSBK: No time to rest. Assen awaits

Passion in the stands, heroes on the tarmac. WorldSBK heads to the Cathedral of Speed for Round 4 of the season. One enthralling round gone, another just about to commence. The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has visited the iconic TT Circuit Assen every single season since 1992, and each one of those 54 races has been as spellbinding as the last; there’s magic in the air every time rubber hits the tarmac at the famous Dutch venue. Many a rider’s prayers have been answered at the Cathedral of Speed, a charming circuit with a folklore that is largely unchallenged in the racing world. With little time to waste between the Aragon and Assen rounds, which of the eighteen stars on the World Superbike grid will be able to enchant the fervent Dutch crowd? Few words can describe how incredibly Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) has adapted to the Ducati V4 R and the WorldSBK paddock. The Spaniard’s average winning margin in these nine first races of 2019 has been of 8.5 seconds – including the three shorter Tissot Superpole Races. It has been a demolition job unlike anything seen in the championship’s history and Bautista is yet to show any signs of becoming complacent. He has continued pushing into the final laps of each race in preparation for the tougher times and tussles that are certain to come, quite possibly as soon as this weekend: while in Australia, Thailand and Aragon, Ducati were already the dominant force last season, the red machines have not won a race at the Cathedral of Speed since Sylvain Guintoli in 2012. A solitary podium was Chaz Davies’ (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) reward last season, although the Welshman also seems to be hitting form at the right time. Why have Ducati remained winless for so long at such an iconic venue? One man is mainly to blame. Eight out of the last nine races at Assen have been won – in consecutive fashion – by Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). The Netherlands is Kawasaki’s kingdom and Rea has ruled over it with an iron fist for the past five years; if there is a track on the calendar where the four-time champion sets the rules, it’s Assen. Since joining the Provec squad, Rea has never come and gone from four consecutive circuits without at least one P1, a streak that coincidentally would be broken at the Dutch track if Bautista – or any other rider – monopolises the top step of the rostrum again. It’s not an accomplishment the four-time world champion is willing to give up on just yet – can he work his magic again in Assen? While Rea may be King of the Cathedral, the uncrowned hero dresses in blue. Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) tested the champion’s limits last year and brought his home crowd into a frenzy with two podium positions. While the home hero is yet to taste rostrum glory this season, this homecoming is slightly different from the others: Van der Mark returns as a better and bolder rider, and perhaps most importantly, as a proven race-winner. The crowd’s enthusiasm will reach a fever pitch when his YZF-R1 hits the tarmac. His companion in the other side of the garage may not enjoy the same fanfare around the province of Drenthe, but his determination this season will more than make up for it. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has finished inside the top five in every single race this year and his maiden WorldSBK podiums (second in 2012) and pole position (2018) both happened at the TT Circuit. Speaking of top-five finishes, Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) got his first two of the campaign in Spain and is looking more comfortable by the day on the S1000 RR. The 2013 World Champion’s last race win happened at the Cathedral last year, the sole shining light in a frustrating year for the Yorkshireman. He will, as always, be more than willing to throw his name into the fight again this season. The Aragon Round was the first time we have seen both factory Honda riders finish both full-length races inside the points this year. While the pairing of Leon Camier and Ryuichi Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) will have higher aspirations for the season, the signs are becoming more positive by the day. Further steps will be taken at Assen. The fight for the Independent Riders title also heated up exponentially at the Aragon Round. After two rounds led with authority by the GRT Yamaha pairing of Marco Melandri and Sandro Cortese, two different riders stepped up to the plate in Spain: Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) and Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing). The stakes will be raised even higher in the Netherlands. The World Superbike machines will hit the tarmac once more at the TT Circuit Assen for Free Practice 1 on Friday morning, with the first racing of the weekend starting at 14:00 LT (GMT+2) the very next day. Two races will raise the heat on Sunday 14th: the Tissot Superpole Race at 11:00, and then Race 2 at 14:00. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Subscribe to our mailing list

World Superbike

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The Cathedral of Speed promises drama in WorldSSP battle

WorldSSP championship fight set to rage at the TT Circuit Assen, home to scintillating action year-in, year-out. The 2019 WorldSSP season has three rounds complete and they’ve been three thrilling, record-shattering opening encounters. In what has been a Yamaha-dominated top end of the championship, other manufacturers are starting to creep into the podium battle. With the TT Circuit Assen ready to host the fourth round of the championship, a circuit that continuously provides some of the best action in WorldSSP, we could be set for yet another fair-bashing, elbow-to-elbow contest! Championship leader Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) took a stunning win at the MotorLand Aragon circuit during the Motocard Aragon Round. The Swiss veteran extended his championship lead and is looking to continue the form at a circuit which he put in a stunning performance at in 2018. Finishing second after dropping down to 18th from sixth on the grid, Krummenacher will be one of the favourites ahead of the Assen race. Will he become the first Swiss rider in WorldSSP history to achieve back-to-back wins? It was a tricky Motocard Aragon Round for Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA), who finished a race outside the top four for the first time since Phillip Island in Australia, 2018. The Frenchman will be looking to return to the podium in The Netherlands, having achieved a podium at the famed venue for the past two seasons; including one win at the track in 2018. 14 points separate the leading two in the championship. His teammate, Corentin Perolari, is growing in stature with each race, so be sure to watch out for him, too! Three third-places has seen Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) confirm his front-running pace in the opening rounds. The Italian has been in the fight for the lead in the last two races and continues to edge a little bit closer to victory with each race completed. Always giving 100%, the 22-year-old failed to finish at Assen last season, whilst a best finish of sixth in 2017 is his main highlight at the circuit in the World Supersport class. After his first podium of the 2019 WorldSSP season, Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse) took the challenge to the Yamahas that have dominated the championship so far. The Italian came from sixth on the grid to lead at the MotorLand Aragon circuit, before finishing a close second behind championship leader Krummenacher. With De Rosa comes years of experience at Assen, a circuit which he was third at in WorldSSP in 2018, for his first class podium, whilst being a winner in the FIM European Superstock 1000 class in 2016. Discount him at your peril. Enjoying a consistent season so far, Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) will be hoping to continue his run of top ten results, which started in Phillip Island at the start of the season. The Japanese rider has never scored points at Assen, having suffered a DNF last season. His best finish in WorldSSP at the circuit is 21st, something he will be eager to improve on in 2019. His teammate, Lucas Mahias will also be hoping to return to the front, having been second at the Dutch circuit in his championship winning season of 2017. Home fans will be hoping to cheer on the likes of Jaimie van Sikklereus (MPM WILSport Racedays) and Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team), as the home favourites look to fight for top positions. Other riders to look out for will be Hannes Soomer (MPM WILSport Racedays) and CIA Landlord Insurance Honda pairing, Jules Danilo and Peter Sebestyen, all of which have experience in bundles at the TT Circuit Assen. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Subscribe to our mailing list