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Sylvain Guintoli has been an unlucky rider at times, with injuries and other misfortunes playing a part in his 2011. In the past few races of this season he has found the form and fortune to hit some heights, however. On the front row at the opening round in Phillip Island on his Effenbert - Liberty Racing Ducati, he was unlucky to hurt his hand and his lower leg in a warm-up crash. As his team-mate Jakub Smrz romped to a near-win at Donington in the very next round, Guintoli was frustrated to not be at 100%. It took until round five in America for Sylvain to have his greatly desired first podium, with third in race one.

Improving results at Silverstone - two top six finishes - put Guintoli into the position of potential podium man one again if it all went right for him and his privateer Ducati. In the wet race two at the Nürburgring the Frenchman splashed his way to second, his best ever single result in this category of racing. It was a major contribution to his current overall ranking of eighth in the championship, only two points behind the rider in front.

For Guintoli, speaking after the German round, the latest podium was a reward for rider and team. "We finally got a result that was a reward for all our efforts," stated Sylvain. "We have had a lot of bad luck so far in 2011. The German race gave us good feedback in all practice and qualifying sessions. During the race I found that I had absolute confidence in the tyres and the podium result gives great satisfaction to all of us."