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The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is now within touching distance of getting underway, with MotorLand Aragon kickstarting the season – the 11^th different circuit to do this and the first time in Europe since 2004. As we are without the usual Phillip Island first round, we look back at the top five curtain-raisers outside of Australia, as a taste of what’s to come this weekend.

5.) Foggy kicks off 1994 in style: Donington Park Race 1, 1994

Having been denied the 1993 title, Carl Fogarty was ready to fire up the 1994 season on home-soil and start it with a bang. Getting into the lead and maintaining it until the end, Fogarty beat his arch-rival Aaron Slight to give the all-new Ducati 916 a first victory, whilst Foggy started his season off in fine style. He would go on to take nine race wins and his first of four World Championships, beating 1993 Champion Scott Russell during the final round of the season at Phillip Island.

4.) Kocinski conquers on dominant debut: Misano Race 1, 1996

The sensational 1996 season had everything, and it started with a new name on top. After a year out of racing in 1995, ex 500cc World Championship GP winner and 1990 250cc GP World Champion John Kocinski stepped across to World Superbike where he instantly laid down the gauntlet, storming to a Race 1 win by over 11 seconds, becoming one of just a handful of riders to win on their WorldSBK debut. He’d complete the double that weekend and finished third in the title race.

3.) Toseland bounces back: Losail Race 1, 2006

After leaving Ducati at the end of 2005, James Toseland had a point to prove in 2006 as he joined the Ten Kate Honda outfit and aimed to make an immediate impact. In the leading group for the whole race, a last lap crash between race leader Yukio Kagayama and second-placed Noriyuki Haga opened up the opportunity for Toseland to take victory, as he defeated Ducati’s Troy Bayliss to take the first honours in the Qatari desert. He’d be second overall, but Toseland’s come back to the top was on.

2.) Edwards vs Haga vs Fogarty: Kyalami Race 1, 2000

The 2000 season started in South Africa and the party was in full flow from the start, as a titanic race-long battle soon ensued between Yamaha’s Noriyuki Haga, Honda’s Colin Edwards and Ducati’s reigning Champion Carl Fogarty. It came down to the last lap and with ‘Foggy’ only able to watch on in third, it was Edwards who hit the front just two turns from home, holding off Haga on the run to the line to take the new RC51 (VTR1000 SP1) to its first victory in its first race.

1.) Bayliss vs Biaggi, a duel in the desert: Losail Race 1, 2008

The first race of 2008 saw a huge battle for victory between then-double WorldSBK Champion Troy Bayliss, and ex-MotoGP™ star Max Biaggi, who was now in his second season of WorldSBK action. Both were on the brand-new 1098 Ducati and had aims of delivering the first win for it. They would enter an iconic last lap battle with Biaggi trying a pass on the final corner, only for Bayliss to strike back and blast to victory. He’d take his third and final title in his swansong 2008 season.

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