Guintoli leader on the opening day

 The rain falling down minutes before the start did not prevent the eni FIM Superbike World Championship riders from getting up to speed in Qualifying 1. All the protagonists of the series went immediately on track to set a fast lap-time before a possible worsening of conditions, which fortunately did not happen. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), one of the three home WSBK riders for the round, was able to edge Championship leader Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) for first position by breaking into the 1'38s barrier and set a 1'38.709s lap-time. Times: 1. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1'38.709 average 160.873 kph; 2. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1'39.095; 3. Davies (BMW) 1'39.378; 4. Cluzel (Suzuki) 1'39.380; 5. Laverty (Aprilia) 1'39.451; 6. Giugliano (Aprilia) 1'39.549; 7. Philippe (Suzuki) 1'39.579; 8. Melandri (BMW) 1'39.678; 9. Fabrizio (Honda) 1'39.799; 10. Pirro (Ducati) 1'39.821; 11. Salom (Kawasaki) 1'40.085; 12. Haslam (Honda) 1'40.202; 13. Badovini (Ducati) 1'40.263; 14. Lanzi (Ducati) 1'40.352; 15. Elias (Aprilia) 1'40.483; 16. Aitchison (Kawasaki) 1'41.137; 17. Sandi (Kawasaki) 1'41.281; 18. Lai (Ducati) 1'42.474; 19. Iannuzzo (BMW) 1'43.180. World Supersport Sam Lowes (Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha) was the quickest rider in World Supersport Qualifying 1. The Championship leader, who is very close to his first-ever World Title, set a competitive 1'42.144s lap-time in the second part of the session to edge Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki). The Turk, three time WSS Champion, suffered a technical problem with 4 minutes to go and was… (read more) Times: 1. Lowes (Yamaha) 1'42.144 average 155.463 kph; 2. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1'42.531; 3. Zanetti (Honda) 1'42.721; 4. Iddon (MV Agusta) 1'42.950; 5. Leonov (Yamaha) 1'43.119; 6. Coghlan (Kawasaki) 1'43.189; 7. Vd Mark (Honda) 1'43.275; 8. Quarmby (Honda) 1'43.348; 9. Tamburini (Honda) 1'43.382; 10. Foret (Kawasaki) 1'43.394; 11. Rolfo (MV Agusta) 1'43.539; 12. Russo (Kawasaki) 1'43.628; 13. Marino (Kawasaki) 1'43.707; 14. Scholtz (Suzuki) 1'43.792; 15. Kennedy (Honda) 1'43.794; etc. Superstock 1000 Home rider Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) took provisional pole position, courtesy of a 1'43.047s lap-time, at the end of the first FIM Superstock 1000 Cup qualifying, that was hampered by rain in the second half. Czech Ondrej Jezek (Sk Energy - Fany Gastro Ducati) ended up in second place, ahead of title contender Niccolò Canepa (Barni Racing Ducati), Romain Lanusse (MRS Kawasaki)… (read more) Times: 1. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1'43.047 average 154.101 kph; 2. Jezek (Ducati) 1'43.090; 3. Canepa (Ducati) 1'43.291; 4. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 1'44.089; 5. Bergman (Kawasaki) 1'44.109; 6. Savadori (Kawasaki) 1'44.175; 7. Lussiana (Kawasaki) 1'44.300; 8. Mercado (Kawasaki) 1'44.448; 9. Maurin (Kawasaki) 1'44.833; 10. Suchet (Honda) 1'44.906; 11. Gildenhuys (BMW) 1'44.937; 12. Bussolotti (BMW) 1'44.965; 13. Ponsson (Kawasaki) 1'45.016; 14. Pagaud (Kawasaki) 1'45.058; 15. Massei (Honda); etc. Superstock 600 Alessandro Nocco (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki) topped the timesheets in first qualifying at Magny-Cours for the Superstock 600 European Championship. The 16 year old rider, who made his debut in the series one year ago on the French track, clocked in 1'44.706 seconds in the closing stages of the session, followed by team mate and fellow Italian Franco Morbidelli, who crashed at the Adelaide… (read more) Times: 1. Nocco (Kawasaki) 1'44.706 average 151.659 kph; 2. Morbidelli (Kawasaki) 1'45.513; 3. Chesaux (Honda) 1'45.669; 4. Gamarino (Kawasaki) 1'45.773; 5. Mulhauser (Yamaha) 1'46.011; 6. Tuuli (Yamaha) 1'46.414; 7. Nekvasil (Yamaha) 1'46.481; 8. Duwelz (Yamaha) 1'46.601; 9. Marchal (Yamaha) 1'46.989; 10. Mamola (Yamaha) 1'47.144; 11. D'Annunzio (Yamaha) 1'47.185; 12. Clere (Yamaha) 1'47.841; 13. Cecchini (Honda) 1'48.124; 14. Vitali (Suzuki) 1'48.193; 15. Gourin (Yamaha) 1'48.281; etc.