Bostrom leaves Valencia test fastest.

Gloomy morning weather gave way to sunshine at Valencia allowing all the top World Super bike riders a final full day of testing at Valencia.

The fastest man of the tests proved to be Californian Ben Bostrom, taking his L&M Ducati to within a whisker of the fastest ever GP lap of Valencia. His best time of 1:35,228 was set in the second last session, with the aid of a qualifying tyre.

Bostrom leaves Valencia test fastest.

Gloomy morning weather gave way to sunshine at Valencia allowing all the top World Super bike riders a final full day of testing at Valencia.

The fastest man of the tests proved to be Californian Ben Bostrom, taking his L&M Ducati to within a whisker of the fastest ever GP lap of Valencia. His best time of 1:35,228 was set in the second last session, with the aid of a qualifying tyre.

Bostrom was fully aware of the previous GP time, and although well under the existing Superbike Superpole record of 1:36.185, a couple of mistakes on an otherwise perfect lap prevented him from setting the best time ever.

Close behind him was Troy Bayliss on the Infostrada Ducati, putting in a best of 1.35.503 and turning in more laps than any other rider during the two-day test.

Tadayuki Okada proved to be a WSB rookie with a difference, taking the third fastest time on his Castrol Honda, marginally ahead of injured Aprilia rider Troy Corser.

Colin Edwards was the first of many to miss the 1:35 bracket, with the reigning champion taking the fifth best time overall with a 1:36.047.

Arguably the performance of the test came from another factory rookie, Aprilia's Regis Laconi, and despite his unfamiliarity with the new Aprilia, the Frenchman finished inside the top six best times.

Local charger Ruben Xaus, teammate of Bayliss, took his Michelin-shod Ducati to seventh, one place in front of his countryman Gregorio Lavilla. Alessandro Antonello, who held off fast Ducati privateer Giovanni Bussei for tenth, completed Aprilia's hat trick of top ten finishes.

Two top Superbike men had disappointing tests at Valencia: Neil Hodgson and Pierfrancesco Chili, who finished 14th and 15th respectively.

In the Supersport World Championship, local rider Pere Riba was fastest on his Ten Kate privateer Honda, running ahead of Vitto Guareschi and Piergiorgio Bontempi.

A good day for the experienced riders also had Paolo Casoli fourth after four sessions over two days.

A great performance from many of the private teams meant that the first full factory rider was Katsuaki Fujiwara, in seventh place on the timesheets. The Alstare Corona Extra rider edged out Frenchman Christophe Cogan with Fujiwara's teammate, Karl Muggeridge in ninth.

The SBK and WSS season itself begins, again at Valencia, on March 11.

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