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A year ending in 9, a record-breaking, #19-wearing rookie leading the championship… Anything come to mind? 2019, Álvaro Bautista you say? Not this time: this is Ben Spies we’re talking about, the United States of America’s last World Superbike champion and a star spectator at this year’s Pata Riviera di Rimini Round. We caught up with the man himself at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and asked about what it takes to emerge victorious from Rimini.

1. The sun says let it slide!

“Misano is a pretty tricky track, just because it’s usually really hot at this time of year. When the race comes around it’s a bit greasier than normal tracks and there’s a bit of sliding around and stuff. It’s more about being able to ride on tyres that are moving around, sliding around. With it being such a flat circuit, usually so hot at this time of year, the bike’s just moving around, and you’ve got to be comfortable with it.”

2. Can the tyres hold out for 21 laps?

“A lot has changed with the tyres since I’ve been on, but there’s just no way you can ride at 95% for the whole race. It all depends on how your set-up is with the tyres and what your game-plan is. Some people are better with older tyres – I loved them, and I’d always try to make the pace as hard as I could. The tyres would be s**t in the end, but I could get away from everybody. To each their own, but with this track you can’t get around it: It’s going to be hot, it’s going to be greasy and the bike moves around. It’s just how you manage it.”

3. Don’t get caught up at Turn 1

“The way in the first three turns it all bottlenecks together... The start is a lot more important here than in most tracks, just because the passing is more difficult and if you get hung up in fourth or fifth in Turn 1 or 2, you can lose almost a second in the first lap pretty easily.”

4. Who is Spies putting his money on at Misano?

“The thing is, I know for sure that Jonny goes really well here. It was the second race of ’09 that he won. He goes good here, he’s going to be fast. Ducati have tons of laps around here, so there’s no way they’re not going to be fast and it’s really good for the championship for Ducati to be right up there. But I actually think Jonny may be the man to beat this week. We’ll see!”

5. Feeding off the awesome atmosphere

“You can’t describe what it does. It gives you a lift, and even in cool-down laps and practices you can just tell that a lot more people are behind you. I never felt the pressure of it, it was just exciting! You understand that there is more pressure, but I just fed off of it, I liked it and I think most riders do.

I’ve always enjoyed WorldSBK’s atmosphere more. Not to down MotoGP™, but it’s just more fun and laidback. The riders are a lot more approachable and the riders have fun with each other, instead of fighting all the time! World Superbike has an incredibly enjoyable atmosphere for fans, for sure.”

The 2009 World Superbike Champion is enjoying Misano, so why aren’t you? Watch the Pata Riviera di Rimini Round LIVE and OnDemand thanks to WorldSBK VideoPass!