With the Pirelli German Round at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz just over a week away, Aruba.it Ducati duo Chaz Davies and Davide Giugliano let WorldSBK.com in on their secret training schedules.

While there is no ‘Superbike Training-101’ schedule that every rider follows, both riders focus their regimen around flexibility and stamina with a considerable focus on diet, to prepare them for the intense 40-minute Superbike races.

“Nothing can really replicate what we do on track with a Superbike, and there’s no set rule in terms of conditioning, but in general it’s really difficult to train as a rider without stepping on a bike,” said Davies. “On the other hand, any kind of training on a bike can be dangerous in terms of injuries. Personally, I have scheduled a whole range of activities to improve my riding technique and concentration, which include motocross, enduro, and dirt-track.”

Giugliano on the other hand has a slightly different training schedule as a result of trying to prevent a reoccurrence of his two career threatening injuries from the 2015 season. As a result, he’s spent just as much time in the pool as he has on the bike. 

 “It took time to get back in shape (after the 2015 injuries), I lost track of the laps done in the swimming pool. Honestly, it made me sick of swimming, but it was worth it,” laughed Giugliano. 

“Compared with the past, I spend less time in the gym and much more on a bike. In our sport, power is not as important as flexibility and reflexes. Now I train several times a week with supermotard in Latina, sometimes together with Biaggi and Corsi, and also with motocross but without jumps. I do 40-minutes sessions, which is the average length of a WorldSBK race. I do the same thing for running sessions. The important thing is to always do cardio, working at an average 160 bpm, because we figured we reach the same frequencies during a race.”

The benefits of this change in Giugliano’s regimen have been quickly evident. During this season, rider #34 has so far stepped on the podium on five occasions, a personal record with four rounds still to go.

Both Davies and Giugliano know how important the right diet is in performing at their peaks, however they both agree that a little indulgence never hurts.  

“I don’t follow a special diet such as gluten-free or vegetarian,” says Davies. “It comes natural for me to eat healthy food, but after a racing weekend I can surely indulge in an ice-cream. Sometimes I eat more, other times less, but as long as I stick to my training the rest falls into place. During races it’s key to eat well. Usually I only eat rice, quinoa, fruit and vegetables… Surely there’s no room for a hamburger (laughs).” 

 “Naturally, I try to stick to healthy, light food,” said Giugliano. “Rice, white meat, raw veggies and fruit are the cornerstones of my diet. I’m crazy about plums and sometimes I allow myself to eat chocolate. I even turned vegetarian for a brief period of my life, but got injured shortly after so I figured it wasn’t a healthy choice (laughs).”

The dynamic duo will be back on track on the 16^th- 18^th of September at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz to continue their campaign towards a podium placing in this year’s World Superbike Championship. 

*Interview credits from arubaracing.com