Alcaniz (Spain), Thursday June 16, 2011 – The weekend’s event programme at the Spanish Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship got underway this afternoon with an entertaining race …to see who could slice the local ‘jamón de Teruel’ ham specialty in the best possible way! The riders convened for this tough but delicate task were Max Biaggi, Carlos Checa, Ruben Xaus, Michel Fabrizio, Eugene Laverty, Troy Corser, Chris Vermeulen and David Salom.
After receiving the necessary instructions and putting on aprons and steel mesh gloves to protect their left arms, the riders took turns in slicing away on five ham joints specially brought to the Paddock Show for the occasion. Some riders like Michel Fabrizio and Ruben Xaus demonstrated a certain ability to thinly cut while others were perhaps doing it for the first time.
At the end the excellent Spanish ‘jamón’ was freely distributed amongst the riders, media and team managers involved. The quickest slicer proved to be Ruben Xaus, to the joy of his two daughters cheering him on!
Afterwards the riders took part in the traditional press conference in which points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) declared: “We arrive at this round in a perfect position, the feeling with the bike is excellent and we’re leading the world championship. I’ll try and get a couple more great results in front of my home crowd.”
For his part, Carlos’s closest rival Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia), declared that the treatment on his swollen leg had worked well and he was going to give his all to beat Checa. “I feel better than what I thought I would after receiving some treatment at home when I returned from Misano. This track is really different and I like it. I think I’ve got a good chance and I’ll try and make the most of the occasion “.
