Ben Spies takes Superpole in Valencia: crucial weekend for Haga.

Ben Spies

The rookie, winner of the last three races, suffered some kind of technical problem with his factory-backed Yamaha in Superpole 2 and had to switch to his spare bike. Nevertheless, Spies shot from eighth to first with one and a half minutes of the third and final Superpole session remaining. The Texan's best lap time was a stunning one minute 33.270 seconds, smashing Max Neukirchner's 2008 pole record by over half a second.

DFX Corse rider Laconi produced an admirable performance to be the leading Ducati rider, with championship leader Noriyuki Haga 0.812 seconds behind Spies in third on the factory 1198. Team-mate Michel Fabrizio will start on the outside of the front row in fourth.

Yukio Kagayama heads row two, ahead of Suzuki Alstare Brux team-mate Neukirchner, with rookie Jonathan Rea the lead Honda rider in seventh.

Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Carlos Checa, who clashed with leader Neukirchner at the final corner or race one at Valencia last season, will start in eighth place after a best lap over two second slower than Spies.

Checa had crashed early in Superpole 2 and was using his spare bike.

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Superpole results:

1. Ben Spies USA Yamaha WSB YZF R1 1 minute 33.270 seconds

2. Regis Laconi FRA DFX Corse Ducati 1198 1:33.955

3. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 1:34.082

4. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 1:34.259

5. Yukio Kagayama JPN Suzuki Alstare Brux GSX-R1000 1:34.755