More misfortune for Kyle and Team Ranieri Med
During the first free practice session at Aragon, Kyle came into the pits to change his rear tyre, all was going to plan as Kyle set off to start his first lap on the new tyre, Unfortunately for Kyle, Australias Glenn Scott had fallen at the worst possible moment! Scotts bike slid across the track into Kyles R6 taking out the front end as Kyle exited the pit lane.
Scott and Kyle sprawled across the tarmac, bringing out the red flag and ending the session for both riders. Glenn Scott was rushed to hospital for surgery on a horrible looking injury that turned out to be a double break of the Tibia and Fibia. Kyle was more fortune with his injuries, sustaining a broken finger and a heavy impact injury to his side, something the Jacksdale racer could of really done without after taking a heavy fall and breaking his hand just a few weeks before in Australia.
Friday FP2
Friday’s second free practice session was a really painful ordeal for Kyle. After being brutally taken out by the Team Lorini Honda rider in the previous session, Kyle bravely went out for the second session in serious pain. Kyle could barely lift his leg to get on the bike at the start of the session and by the end of FP2 had to be physically lifted from his machine by the teams mechanics. Still, Kyles made of strong stuff and a determined effort saw him finish with a great time of 1’56’’5 that was worth sixteenth place.
Superpole 1
After a good nights rest, Kyle was ready to roll out again in the first of the Superpole races. Feeling less pain and determined to rescue the weekend, Kyle lowered his best time to 1’55’’8, which earned him third place, just a whisker away from a second position that would of moved him up into the Superpole 2 race, but it wasn’t to be.
KYLE RYDE-
“Everything was going really well on Friday morning, until I got hit by Scott’s bike in turn 2, I was really suffering after that and FP2 was absolute agony. I really wanted to get into the top ten and Superpole 2 but I just couldn’t compete at that level with the pain I was in”
“Superpole 1 was slightly better for me, fortunately we have a great team doctor in Dr Ranieri and it’s good just to have that reassurance and advice after being in such a big accident. I made a mistake in the first sector of my best lap and lost a bit of time that might of put me in Superpole 2 but I’m pleased with my performance, the bike, and of course the support of the team”
“Dr Ranieri’s been a great help with managing my pain and injuries”
Sundays race
After a good start from thirteenth place on the grid, Kyle was again forced to take evasive action as a 3 riders crashed happened right in front of him going into the first corner, this crash forced Kyle to pile on the brakes and lose valuable time on the race leaders. It was a comeback race right from the start but Kyle held his nerve, posting consistently quick laps of around ‘1’56 ” while closing in on the group sprint for ninth position between Wahr, Gamarino and Smith, as they approached the chequered flag.
A welcome result
After suffering in the previous 2 rounds and again at Aragon, it was a relief to claim our first points of the championship. A battling performance for 12th place saw Kyle claim 4 championship points, these were hard fought points however and in hindsight it can only be described as an excellent result. After being struck by Scott’s bike at considerable speed, it was hard to think that Kyle could carry on and even in the race, the falls of other riders have affected his performance.
KYLE RYDE-
“After what happened on Friday I think we have to be positive. Finally we have some points to show for all our hard work and we weren’t that far off tenth, which was our goal at the start of the season. If I hadn’t lost five or six positions before going into the first corner I think I’d of easily been in the top 10”
“I don’t want to make excuses but really, we’ve had nothing but bad luck since Australia, but I think we’ve got to be happy with the result today. When we get to Assen in the next round I think you’ll see what I can do when I ride on a track that I know, I’m confident you’ll see a different outcome in a couple of weeks time.
