Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Xavier Simeon spent the whole 14-lap Superstock 1000 FIM Cup race in agony but defied the pain to take fifth place.

The problem with his left ankle once again flared up and after a couple of laps he was struggling to maintain his place and concentration to finish less than two-and-a-half seconds behind the race winner Didier Van Keymeulen (Yamaha).

Xavier Simeon - 5th - "That was a very hard and difficult race. After a short time my ankle really started hurting and it was hard to keep concentration. On the straights I had to take my left leg right off the footpeg, just so that I could change gear. Yesterday the conditions were wet and we weren't going so fast and we all had to ride much more smoothly so it was not such a big problem, but today was dry and we were riding much harder and faster and that meant that I had to work my leg a lot more. It hurt a lot but I was determined to keep going as best I could. In the end, I don't think that fifth place is so bad, especially considering that I was not so far off from the leaders."

Superstock 1000 Results: 1 Van Keymeulen (B-Yamaha), 2 Canepa (I-Ducati), 3 Corti (I-Yamaha), 4 Aitchison (Aus-Suzuki), 5 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 6 Tode (D-Honda).