Misano Adriatico - March 21st, 2004

Non qualified just for two tenth of second!
Friday we trained on the long track. It was completely unknown to Cristiana and the results confirmed the need of additional tests, not performed due to the tight time frame between the two races.
Saturday morning at 8 a..m., the directions communicated a variation on the circuit. Two double turns and a big turn were eliminated and substituted by one turn, named "Brutapela", which brings directly on the straight part in front of the paddocks.
The first official qualification session was not really good. Things dramatically changed in the second session, elapsed time was reduced by more than four seconds, but just two tenth of seconds short from the 20% qualification time range.
Results are quite positive anyway, improvements are evident and we're looking forward for the race at Vallelunga racetrack of the next May.

Results - Over category

Not Classified

Vallelunga - May 16th, 2004

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt!
Friday training reduced to only one session due to the rain.
Two sessions for the Saturday's official qualifications. Enthusiastic first round. Cristiana starts at a low pace but she grows very quickly in the following laps, moving from 1'42 to 1'41 and finally to 1'40.941 which puts her at the 32nd place upon 48 racers (just 36 will compete on Sunday).
Second round not so brilliant, we have to hold back our horses until the time results confirm a 35th place worthwhile qualification.
Last row on the grid of the Sunday' race. Cristiana has a good start and she overtakes few opponents but she pays the inexperience in the following laps. She scores a 32nd place, fetching points in both general and beginner placings of her category.

Results - Over category

Not Classified

Varano de' Melegari - July 11th, 2004

We didn't make it just for an inch ... and not just for that!
We were already aware of a technical problem, related to the ignition, but we thought everything was fixed properly.
The first qualification session on the saturday wasn't great but enough to place Cristiana at the 32nd place, the last of the qualified racers.
She starts the second session with a warlike mood, resoluted to reach a better position infact, just on the second lap, she's already close to the best result of the first manche. On the forth lap the tech problem comes out worse, while she's doing the second part of a double turn the engine dies. Cristiana managed to stop the bike without crashing but it takes sometimes to restart the bike. She's not able anymore to stay focused on the goal and there are no further improvements in the previous results. Just one racer, who was behind her before, is able to do better and Cristiana drops at the 33rd position, first one of the non qualified.
Another nasty trick is ready to be played on her. One of the qualified racer withdraw from the race due to a crash and Cristiana should be the first replacement (being 33rd and in the 15% from the best time).
With no reason the starting grid still includes the name of the other racer and there is no way to convince the head commissioner to print out a new grid including Cristiana.

Results - Over category

Not classified

Magione - September 5th, 2004

The last race, the most troubled and the best achievement.
The ignition problem seems to be solved by the ECM replacement, following an inconclusive replacement of the fuel pump. During a test session on the Vallelunga racetrack another problem appears. The general fuse (30 A.) suddenly broke leaving Cristiana in the middle of the track.
We were heading to Magione with the hope everything was ok but there is no limit to the worse. Friday morning we discovered a leakage from the replaced fuel pump. Quick fix thanks to a silicon paste provided by a friend and first free test... everything looks fine. Second session of tests and the fuse blew again. It was almost impossible to fix this problem quickly enough.
It comes the first qualification session on Saturday and we are again in trouble with the fuse. There was just one last chance in the afternoon. We decide to replace the voltage regulator and doing this we find out that one of the wire in the stator connector is damaged.
We replace the voltage regulator anyway and we fix the wire with some tape.
The bike works perfectly and Cristiana put a fast lap which places her at the 31st place. We are qualified and we will race on sunday!
The sunday race puts a smile back on our faces. Cristiana is cool, she has a fast start and she overtakes two racers of the same category. One of them pass her again on the long straight section but she's ready to fight back. She overtakes again the other racer on the slow part and then she goes faster and faster. Her run is stopped only by the checkered flag. At the end Cristiana is 25th in the race, 7th in her category and 3rd as a non-pro for the over category.
This year ends with a dignified 10th place in the general placings for the Over 650CC. and a 5th place in the special non-pro placings for the same category.

Results - Over category

Not classified

Vallelunga - March 7th

Misano A. - March 21st

Vallelunga - May 16th

Magione - September 5th