Rain ruins Valencia test for Ducati, Ten Kate.

The Ducati Xerox Team, like those rivals against which it was due to test, found its 2005 World Superbike campaign getting off to a damp start, as the weather interrupted the first day of two due to be spent testing in Valencia.

Rain fell for most of Monday morning at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, and the cold and wet conditions prevented either James Toseland and R?gis Laconi from putting in much track time on their 999 F05 factory bikes, even though the new season gets underway in Qatar in just three weeks time.

Laconi proved to be the quickest rider on the day, setting the pace at 1min 41.3secs in the course of 45 laps, while Toseland recorded a 1min 43.6secs best in 40 laps.

"We haven't done many full laps, and it's been a disappointing day because I was looking forward to this last test before going to Qatar," the reigning champion declared. "We haven't been able to do much all day. The track dried up a bit but it was intermediates to slicks and we didn't get a good run at it today.

"Tomorrow, if it's dry, I'll be okay and will be able to push and do some decent lap times, but I don't want to go away from this test feeling that it's been a bit of a waste of time because of the weather. I feel ready, and the bike's ready, but we've still got to test everything. It's just a case of getting more time to do some more laps."

Laconi was of the same opinion, claiming that the conditions; "didn't allow us to conclude much,"

"Towards the end of the day, we fitted a 'slick' on the rear, but the track still had patches of damp all around, and it was impossible to push hard," the Frenchman revealed, "Let's hope things improve tomorrow, which will enable us to leave for Qatar with a better idea of where we are."

The Winston Ten Kate Honda team was similarly frustrated and left the circuit early this morning [Tuesday], after further heavy rain precluded any further testing of its 2005-spec Honda CBRs.

Only Superbike rider Chris Vermeulen and Supersport contender Katsuaki Fuijiwara managed to get any track time on Monday because of the conditions, leaving team manager Ronald ten Kate frustrated.

"It's unfortunate, but we can do nothing about the weather," he commented, "We were able to do further shakedown tests on both Chris' and Kat's second bikes to ensure everything was working properly, but there was no possibility of fully testing any new components."

The team will spend the next few days loading almost eight tonnes of equipment into 15 crates that will be shipped to Qatar early next week in preparation for a further test at the Losail circuit in Doha over 19-20 February. That outing will be followed, a week later, by the opening round of both the Superbike and Supersport championships.

"There is a silver lining in these clouds, however, in that we can have an extra day to prepare everything for Qatar," ten Kate admitted, "We always have to balance the benefits of testing against risk, so, after the team launch in Milan next Tuesday, we will fly straight to Qatar, where we will hopefully get some dry track time at last!"