Xerox Ducati Valencia Test - November 14th 2005

Troy Bayliss and Lorenzo Lanzi encountered cold and rainy conditions today on their first outing for the 2006 Ducati Xerox Team at Valencia as the first of two days of Pirelli winter testing for the top World Superbike squads was hit by bad weather.

The 36 year-old Australian was scheduled to ride the 999, after a three-year absence from the World Superbike championship. The track and weather conditions today however were such that the team decided to keep Troy in the garage all day, hoping that the weather clears up tomorrow, in order to minimize any risk of further injury to his left wrist, which is still recovering from a motocross accident in September.

Lorenzo Lanzi, who has already had a stint in Ducati Xerox colours this year in the German Round at the Lausitzring, where he won race 2, completed 38 laps in the wet conditions. The 24-year-old Italian was quickest out of the few riders who dared venture onto the track in the wet, with a time of 1m54.5s.

Ducati Xerox team manager, Davide Tardozzi commented: "Unfortunately it rained today, but we used the time to help Lorenzo regain confidence in the wet. He did a great job, was very methodical and managed to achieve some good times at the end of the day. As for Troy, we preferred not to risk it. Tomorrow morning we'll decide what to do."

The Valencia test runs into its second and final day tomorrow Tuesday.