Kyle Ryde “knackered before I even got on the bike” in final Knockhill BSB race
Championship leader Kyle Ryde had been under the weather all Knockhill BSB weekend, adding a third to two victories in race three.
Kyle Ryde admitted that riding at a hot Knockhill while carrying a sickness bug had taken it’s toll by the final race of the BSB weekend, with the championship leader rallying for a 69th consecutive points finish, on the podium again after a late pass on race rival Ryan Vickers.
The Nitrous Coin, Nitrous Competitions rider had been out front for much of the weekend, with two wins under his belt in race one and the sprint, with the final race giving the Ducati rider a taste of what had been going on behind him in those races.
Ryde, speaking to British Superbikes in their post race interviews, explained:
“For me, obviously, it was a lot different to race one. I didn’t get the best start and I was obviously behind these two (Bradly Ray and Scott Redding) and I kind of got a taste of what they’d been doing for the last couple of races.
So trying to follow around here is not easy. Even though you feel like you’ve been really good around the last corner all weekend, when you sit behind somebody, it almost feels like you’re worse than them.
So, obviously, just being two tenths behind somebody, they obviously get the jump on you and then you’re playing catch-up again.
It was definitely the place to be at the front, as Scott showed with the last ten laps - he did his pace and then it was really hard for Brad to beat him.”
The number one rider had been ill all weekend, as he had been on arrival at Knockhill in the two years previously too, and that left Ryde lacking energy and worn out before even turning a wheel adding that earlier in the weekend he had benefitted from being able to limit his track time in the wet:
“So yeah, it was not the best race but I’m very happy with the third. I was knackered before I even got on the bike.
This weekend, I think it’s played into my favour a little bit with the wet weather. I’ve not done many laps and then I’ve chucked everything really into the qualifying and the first two races and that last race was not my best - but yeah, another trophy for the cabinet and some solid points this weekend - so thanks to the team and everyone - it’s been a good weekend”
The British Superbike championship returns in next month, in Snetterton over the 3-5 July weekend.
