A triumphant day for the Aprilia colors who in Latina, at the Italian Gp, arithmetically won, with one trial left to go, the Constructors World Title in the S2 class, with the two-cylinder SXV 4.5.  The Noale House has already pocketed the Riders World Championship for which should have a thrilling finale with the family fight between Thierry Van Den Bosch and Jerome Giraudo, who both wear the colours of the Italian team.

After the world title for riders won by Jerome Giraudo in 2004, this year the Aprilia celebrates its first title among the Constructors of Supermotard, a cutting-edge discipline in motorcycling.

A mix between speed and motorcross which has controlled skidding, both on asphalt and dirt, it’s the most intriguing show, capable of bringing millions of fans to the races all over the world.  The motorcycles used are based on off-road bikes, but instead of pneumatic plugs, they use slicked rubber.  You drive with motorcycle sideways, combating the laws of equilibrium.  It’s a discipline practiced by many of the big riders of the World Championship circuit because it helps controlling the motorcycle in conditions where adherence is precarious. This season which is about to end, is without a doubt, one in which the supremacy of Aprilia SXV 4.5 in the S2 class has been made extremely evident, shown also by the statistics.

In 7 grand prix raced, the two-cylinder from Noale won 5 Superpoles  (3 with Van Den Bosch and 2 with Bolley), and won 10 of 14 heats (7 with Van Den Bosch, 2 with Bolley, 1 with Giraudo).  These numbers truly represent more than anything else a triumphant season.  A team success that rewards all the components of the team in the House in Noale that three years ago began an innovative project, to bring a two-cylinder to the off-road, proving to be a winner immediately, and that in the course of this season reinforced its superiority.

At the start of Race 1 Van Den Bosch (Aprilia SXV 4.5) took the lead and, according to a script repeated many times throughout the season, he took a huge win out in front of Adrien Chareyre (Husqyarna) and Jerome Giraudo (Aprilia SXV 4.5), who made an incredible comeback from sixth place to third.  An error in the first curve made things difficult for Frederic Bolley (Aprilia SXV 4.5).  The Frenchman arrived wide and went off the track.  He started back up last and made it up to thirteenth place. After these results, one three points were separating Aprilia from the Constructors S2 Title.

The certainty of Aprilia’s conquest of the World Constructors S2 Title came at the end of a triumphant Race 2, when Thierry Van Den Bosch crossed the finish-line first, giving him the double win and giving Aprilia the S2 world champion title.  In second place, Giraudo, ahead of Bolley, giving Aprilia the triple win, ended among hugs and handshakes not just because of the Constructors World Championship, but also for that of the Riders, which arithmetically had already been won by an Aprilia rider.

In fact, Aprilia has already pocketed the Riders’ title and is just waiting to know the name of the rider that will win the 2006 World Championship in the saddle of the SXV 4.5 in the last trial (50 more points as a prize) which will take place Novermbe 5, in Athens.

Also in this case, the arithmetic shows a family fight with Thierry VanDen Bosch as the main player who on the eve of the decisive match has an advantage of 39 points over Jerome Giraudo who is in second.

“Another fantastic day for the team.  We won the Constructors title for the first time, and we also have the riders’ one in the bag with Thierry and Jerome who will fight it out in the last Grand Prix in Athens.  We crowned a season full of sacrifice but with an emotion that goes beyond anything imaginable.  Thanks to everyone who supported this project from the beginning, to Engineer Macchi, to Aprilia who believed in this splendid group, even in the most difficult moments.”

In the S1, another great showing by the British Christian Iddon (Aprilia SXV 5.5) who finished the first race in fifth place while in the last race he fought long and hard with the leading group finishing up in 4th place.

Latina, October 15 2006, Italian GP -  7. round of the World Champion Supermoto

CLASS S2

Race 1: 1. Thierry Van den Bosch (Aprilia SXV 4.5);  2. Adrien Chareyre (Husqvarna); 3. Jerome Giraudo (Aprilia SXV 4.5); 13. Frederic Bolley (Aprilia SXV 4.5).

Race 2: 1. Thierry Van den Bosch (Aprilia SXV 4.5); 2. Jerome Giraudo (Aprilia SXV 4.5); 3. Frederic Bolley (Aprilia SXV 4.5).

World Championship S2 after 7 trials: 1. Thierry Van den Bosch (Aprilia SXV 4.5) 290 points; 2 . Jerome Giraudo (Aprilia SXV 4.5) 251;  3. Adrien Chareyre (Husqvarna) 236; 4. Frederic Bolley (Aprilia SXV 4.5) 216.

Constructors classification S2 after 7 trials: 1. Aprilia 328 points WORLD CHAMPIONS; 2. Husqvarna 249; 3. Honda 241.

CLASS S1

Race 1: 1. Bernd Hiemer (Ktm);  2. Gerarld Delepine (Husqvarna); 3. Ivan Lazzarini (Husqvarna); 5. Christian Iddon (Aprilia SXV 5.5).

Race 2: 1. Simone Girolami (Tm); 2. Bernd Hiemer (Ktm); 3. Gerarld Delepine (Husqvarna); 4. Christian Iddon (Aprilia SXV 5.5).

The world championship S1 after 7 trials: 1. Bernd Hiemer (Ktm) 316 points; 2. Ivan Lazzarini  (Husqvarna) 261; 3. Gerarld Delepine (Husqvarna) 259; 4. Christian Iddon (Aprilia SXV 5.5) 248.

Constructors classification S1 after 7 trials: 1. Ktm 326 points; 2. Husqvarna 315;  3. Aprilia 248.