“Bit of luck” brings Kyle Ryde podium in Snetterton BSB opener

After admitting he expected to run at the front on Friday during practice, Kyle Ryde was handed a gift with two DNFs from lead riders, to feature back on the podium at BSB race one at Snetterton.

The reigning champion and championship leader has never recorded a win at Snetterton, and from sixth on the grid for Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Rider had his work cut out, stuck on track behind a defensive ride from Leon Haslam, who passed back several times before giving best to the number 1 plated bike.

Speaking to British Superbikes after the race Ryde commented on how difficult it was to pass with all the frontrunners able to achieve similar pace, regardless of machinery:  

“At the start of the race I thought that it was going to be stretched quite early, but everyone had a lot of speed at the start, everyone was doing high 46s and the group was all together, so it was difficult to make a pass because everyone’s on probably lap record pace, which was last year.

Haslam was incredibly hard for Ryde to find away around, as another former champion, also with Ducati machinery underneath them as Ryde explained:

“It was just difficult to pass - especially Leon, - he’s got so much dog in him, he didn’t want to let anyone pass.

So six laps I wasted so much time and energy, trying to pass Leon - and then, when I got past I couldn’t catch these two ( Bradley Ray and Scott Redding) up. So my race was kind of run with six laps to go. I just tried to pull away from Leon and secure third."

Ryde was happy to admit there had been an element of luck to keeping his podium run going, now at an impressive 70 consecutive rostrum visits in BSB, adding:

“Obviously a lucky third with Max pulling out ‘cause he definitely had more speed than me. So, yeah, bit of luck today to keep the podium run going, but take the positives and tomorrow make the bike a little bit better and hopefully we can get ahead of Leon on lap one”.

Ryde has two chances to pick up his first ever win at the Norwich track on Sunday, starting the sprint race from fourth, ahead of Haslam this time who will line up sixth, with the final feature race concluding the Snetterton BSB action.