Honda Racing riders begin 2015 season with EIS fitness day
For the second consecutive year, the Honda Racing Endurance World Championship and road racing stars kicked off the season by joining a whole host of other elite Honda riders for an Assessment Day at the English Institute of Sport – the organisation behind much of Team GB’s outstanding success at the London 2012 Olympics.
EWC riders Freddy Foray and Julien da Costa and Isle of Man TT stars John McGuinness and Conor Cummins were put through their paces in a series of physio and isometric tests, strength and conditioning assessments and fitness analyses. The data collected from each rider will be collated, compared to previous year’s results and used to form the basis of their training and fitness programmes for the 2015 racing season.
The two-day event was organised by Honda Motor Europe, in conjunction with the EIS, as part of its ongoing commitment to maximising rider performance across all disciplines. Pata Honda World Superbike Championship stars Sylvain Guintoli and Michael van der Mark, 2014 European Junior Cup winner Augusto Fernandez, 2014 Honda 150 Champion Albie Wilkie and former World Enduro Champion Alex Salvini were also in attendance.
“It’s been very good to return to the EIS and look at our performances compared to last year and see where we have got better or worse,” explained EWC rider Da Costa. “We can use this to see how we can train throughout the year to prepare for the races and make sure our bodies are fit and healthy. It’s also good to meet the other riders from all the other disciplines and see how we all approach things differently. There is definitely a bit of competition between us all to see who is the best!”
Road racer Conor Cummins was equally as positive: “I really enjoy coming to the EIS and this year has been even better as we’re able to see any improvement and changes compared to last year. I have my own trainer and usually train with him alone, so it’s nice to get together with the other riders and compare notes. I’ll definitely be taking all the data back to my coach so we can use it to figure out my fitness programme for the year ahead.”
The 2015 Endurance World Championship season will begin with the return of the Le Mans 24 Heures Moto to its traditional slot on 18/19 April. The road racing season will begin with the Northwest 200 in May. For all the latest news from both teams follow @HondaRacingCBR on Twitter.
More, from another press release issued by Honda Racing:
European Junior Cup winner prepares with Honda champions
Augusto Fernandez, winner of the 2014 Pata European Junior Cup, has completed a pre-season test with a number of other Honda riders from a variety of racing disciplines. But this test did not involve riding motorcycles; instead, the 17-year-old Spanish rider visited the English Institute of Sport (EIS) near London in the UK this week to undergo a series of physical tests and assessments.
He was in some illustrious Honda company for the visit and shared the EIS facilities with a number of racers at the very top of their game, including 2014 World Superbike champion, Sylvain Guintoli; 2014 World Supersport champion, Michael van der Mark; 21-time Isle of Man TT winner, John McGuinness; and 2013 Enduro World champion Alex Salvini.
Young Fernandez triumphed in last season’s European Junior Cup in which all competitors rode identical versions of Honda’s versatile CBR500R machine and his prize was a ride in the 2015 FIM Superstock 600 European Championship on a Honda CBR600RR.
On 12 April at Aragon in Spain, Fernandez will begin his assault on the title that was won in 2012 by Holland’s Michael van der Mark, who then progressed through the World Supersport series and, for 2015, will partner Sylvain Guintoli in the Pata Honda World Superbike championship on Honda’s flagship CBR1000RR Fireblade SP.
This year’s Pata European Junior Cup, which is open to young male racers aged 14-21, will run Honda’s stunning CBR650F machine and incorporate the FIM Europe Women’s European Cup for female riders from 14 to 23 years.
Gerry Bryce, series director for the Pata European Junior Cup, said: “It’s fantastic to see the progression from the EJC to Stock 600 for Augusto and, of course, it’s from there that Michael van der Mark launched his own journey to become World Supersport champion and now a Honda World Superbike rider. With the new Honda CBR650F and the Women’s European Cup as part of the 2015 series, we’ve had a fantastic response and there are just a handful of places remaining now. It’s going to be a busy and exciting year!”
Augusto Fernandez said: “It’s fantastic for me to be preparing for this new season here at the EIS in the company of all these amazing Honda champions. It was amazing to win the European Junior Cup last year and now I am very excited to be taking part in the Superstock 600 series on the CBR600RR. I cannot wait for the season to start.”