GILES MAKES SUPERBIKE COMEBACK

[totalmotorcycle]

GILES MAKES SUPERBIKE COMEBACK
Oct 16, 2006 - Team Suzuki Press Office – October 16, 2006.


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Triple Australian Superbike Champion, Shawn Giles is set to make his racing comeback for Team Yoshimura Suzuki at Winton Raceway, Victoria this weekend following the longest injury lay-off of his career.

With three Australian Superbike Championships and one national Supersport title to his credit, Giles is the most successful rider in Australian road racing history.

A high-speed crash while leading at Barbagallo Raceway in May saw Giles slam into a concrete wall at over 100 kph leaving the Suzuki rider with shattered bones in his right foot, a cracked pelvis and a life-threatening blood clot in his right calf.

A veteran of the sport and a stalwart of the Australian Road Racing Championship since 1992, Giles has never spent so much time off a motorcycle in his long and prestigious career.

Now with a clean bill of health, he is delighted at the prospect of racing his Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 at Winton Raceway for round six of seven in the premier road racing class.

“It’s great to be able to get back on the bike again. I’ve really missed the racing; it’s been a long, tough season watching from the sidelines,” said Giles.

“I went testing with Team Yoshimura Suzuki two weeks ago and I was off the pace and struggling on the first day, but on day two I was able to find a lot more speed.

“I’ve been training hard and working on my fitness, but the best way for any rider to get race-fit is by going racing and I expect to be able to go faster again this weekend.

“The trouble is these other guys have been on the bikes all season and are fully up to speed so I’ve really got my work cut out for me. But we’re hoping to grab a top-five finish at Winton and then end the season on a high in Sydney.”

Giles’ Suzuki team-mate Robbie Bugden is looking to improve upon the privateer success he achieved in 2005 at Winton Raceway.

“As a privateer, Robbie won a race and came second overall at Winton last year, so it is a track that he likes a lot,” Giles said.

“Robbie was really quick in testing at Winton and he’ll be pushing hard for the round win that he just missed in 2005, and he’ll keep me honest this weekend.

“For me the championship is over, but these next two rounds are about getting some strong results for Suzuki to finish the year on a positive.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the swing of racing, regaining my confidence and re-focusing for another championship attack next season.”