Misano opens up second edition of Coppa dei Due Paesi trophy
The opening round of the 2012 Coppa dei Due Paesi (Two Nations Cup) was held during the eni FIM Superbike World Championship weekend last week at Misano. This is the second edition of the joint Italo-Russian project, which this year has become a UEM (European Motorcycle Union) championship to all effects. With a 20 rider grid line-up, the first of the three rounds in the calendar saw the win go to Leonardo Biliotti, riding a Team Trasimeno Yamaha YZF-R6 machine. The Italian aims to become the second winner of the trophy, following on from Russia's Vladimir Leonov, who is currently racing World Supersport with a Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha.
Biliotti rocketed away from the front row on his home track after setting second quickest time in qualifying, ahead of his fellow Italian and poleman Denis Sacchetti, the Go Eleven Superstock team manager deciding to put on his leathers and helmet again for the trophy on a Kawasaki ZX-6R.
The final podium place went to a wild-card rider of the calibre of Alessia Polita, who is currently competing in the CIV Italian Superstock 600 Championship. Polita finished third overall but doesn't score in the championship so the 16 points went to Superstock 600 stalwart Patrik Vostarek (Honda Motorpower), who just finished ahead of a rider with a famous surname, Dakota Mamola (son of Randy), on a Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha in fourth. There were actually four women who lined up on the starting-grid for the opening round: as well as Polita, Romana Fede and Yakhnich Motorsport regular Nataliya Lyubimova together with Ekaterina Rutskova from Russia were also present.
The Coppa dei Due Paesi will now move on to its second round at Brno on July 22, with the grand finale set for August 26 at the Moscow Raceway, both rounds held as part of the World Superbike race weekend.
