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Check out our profiles of each and every World Superbike rider with a place on the grid in the 2009 season.

Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox)

Consistent title contender Japanese Haga, who replaced triple world champion Troy Bayliss at Ducati, has finished second once and third on three occasions in the past four seasons with Yamaha. In his early thirties, he will be targeting the top spot this season - especially given the retirement of Aussie Bayliss.

Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox)

Italian Fabrizio will hope to build on his debut season with Ducati, where he secured seven podiums without winning a race. Before joining the Italian marque he rode for DFXTreme for two years after serving his apprenticeship in World Supersport with Italia Megabike Honda.

Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team)

Thirteen-times MotoGP race winner and four-times 250cc world champion Biaggi joined World Superbikes in 2007 and won three races on the Corona Alstare Suzuki while taking 17 podiums and finishing third in the championship. He struggled somewhat last year on a Ducati 1098 after breaking his wrist early in the season but improved towards the end and will look to begin where he left off with new team Aprilia.

Shinya Nakano (Aprilia Racing Team)

Grand prix veteran Nakano - who competed for two seasons in the 250s and eight in the 500cc/MotoGP class - comes into WSB still looking for a first title. He and Biaggi will make for interesting watching following the return of Aprilia to the championship.

Ben Spies (Yamaha Motor Italia)

The promising American impressed as he competed in several MotoGP races in 2008, the year of his third consecutive AMA Superbike Championship. He will be at a disadvantage as he does not know the circuits on the WSB calendar, but is regarded as his nation's best hope in the series since former champion Colin Edwards left for MotoGP.

Tom Sykes (Yamaha Motor Italia)

After finishing fourth in the 2008 British Superbike Championship, he made the step up with Yamaha for 2009. The Yorkshireman looked good in his two wildcard appearances in WSB last season at Brands Hatch and Donington Park.

Broc Parkes (Paul Bird Motorsport)

Australian Parkes returns after six years spent racing in World Supersport, where he finished second twice. Given a factory Kawasaki, he should show what he can do after formerly struggling on a privateer Ducati: he had a best finish of fifth in his 42 races in WSB.

Makota Tamada (Paul Bird Motorsport)

The Japanese rider did not impress on his return to WSB in 2008, having won three races in his first stint in the early Noughties, and his team will expect better from him on the ZX-10R this season.

Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki Alstare)

Japanese Kagayama has struggled with injuries in recent years, with his last race come But Suzuki is persevering, and he now has to repay the faith with a strong season on the updated GSX-R1000K9.

Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Alstare)

German Neukirchner stormed to the front in 2008, securing two race wins out of seven podiums - having taken only one rostrum finish in the three years before - before losing his way somewhat towards the end of the season. He will look to get going early in 2009.

Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda)

Having switched from MotoGP for 2008, Checa impressed occasionally on his way to an overall fourth-place finish, winning two races and taking seven podiums. With a year behind him more will be expected at the Ten Kate squad.

Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda)

Rea finished second in the World Supersport Championship last year, his debut season having moved from British Superbikes. He should relish the step up and knows the circuits well, giving English fans another star for whom to shout.

Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda)

Kiyonari is known for having won the British Superbikes crown twice as well as the Suzuka 8 Hours. In his second season he could come into his own; he has three race wins under his belt and can be superbly quick over one lap.

Karl Muggeridge (Celani Suzuki)

The 2004 World Supersport champion, Muggeridge has competed in 94 World Superbike races - and is yet to score a podium finish. However for 2009 he has left behind his privateer Hondas in favour of Celani Suzuki, with a bike supported by Alstare, after missing out on the second Aprilia RSV4.

Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad)

Corser is now the sole veteran master swaggering around the World Superbike paddock after the retirement of Australian compatriot and namesake Troy Bayliss. A two-times champion in the series (1996 and 2005), he came second last year and has been backed by Bayliss to begin with a bang at Phillip Island - but has joined newcomer BMW to ride its S1000 RR machine, so anything could happen.

Ruben Xaus (BMW Motorrad)

Xaus has 11 win and 35 podiums to his name, a result of putting on some serious speed when he gets going. Again the new BMW could make or break his chances, and he has plenty to live up to with Corser in the same garage.

Brendan Roberts (Guandalini Ducati)

Australian Roberts won the 2008 Superstock World Cup from nowhere with a fantastic performance in the final round. He will ride a private entry managed by former champion Pierfrancesco Chili in his rookie season.

Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Ducati)

Smrz struggled to replicate his excellent form in practice and qualifying in races last season, his second in the world series with the Guandalini outfit.

Shane Byrne (Sterilgarda Ducati)

Shakey took the 2008 British Superbike title with ease after showing promise in the two previous seasons; he finished on the podium in each of his first 14 races last year. He has experience in World Superbikes having raced as a wildcard in 2002 and 2003 and represents a Great British hope for this season.

Leon Haslam (Stiggy Motorsport Honda)

Haslam returns to World Superbikes after he left the series in 2004 sporting the rookie of the year mantle. Having finished a commendable second to Byrne in BSB in 2008 - and dominated the second half of the season - he is another that British fans will look for in the 2009 timesheets.

Roberto Rolfo (Stiggy Motorsport Honda)

Rolfo will partner Haslam in his fourth season in WSB having partnered British hero and double champion James Toseland at HANNspree Ten Kate Honda in 2007, the Sheffield rider's final title year. The Italian rider is yet to secure a podium - his best finish in 75 races is fourth - and will be feeling the weight of expectation upon his shoulders from the first race at Phillip Island.

Regis Laconi (DFX Corse Ducati)

The runner-up in 2004 to then team-mate James Toseland, Frenchman Laconi has failed to impress in the last three years with Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse. However he has won 11 races since 2001, more than most, and also finished fourth and sixth either side of that second place. A switch to Ducati could be just what the doctor ordered for his career.

Katsuyuki Nakasuga (YZF Yamaha)

The season could contain a steep learning curve for the 2008 All Japan champion, but he has the talent to go places in his career. He does not know many of the circuits on the WSB calendar.

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