Crutchlow Takes Race One in France
Cycle News Staff | October 3, 2010
Sterilgarda Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow began his final weekend in World Superbike in high style, passing recently crowned World Champion Max Biaggi (Alitalia Aprilia) on the eighth of 23 laps and pulling away to win his third race of the season and first outside of his home country.Crutchlow, who will join Colin Edwards on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team next year, was away fourth, moving to second on the third lap to begin his pursuit of Biaggi. He caught the Italian on the eighth and quickly slipped past.From there to the end Crutchlow was on his own, as Biaggi came under fire from Althea Racing Ducati’s Carlos Checa. Biaggi fought back and re-took second on the 21st lap, but then dropped from second to fourth on the final lap when he was twice passed in the final chicane. Suzuki Alstare’s Leon Haslam moved up to second, with Checa third.Jakub Smrz was alone in fifth, with the Ducati Xerox machines sixth and seventh in their final race, Michael Fabrizio well in front of Nori Haga.Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes held off Althea Racing Ducati’s Shane Byrne and Supersonic Racing Team Ducati’s Luca Scassa in the battle for eighth.Race One:
1. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha)
2. Leon Haslam (Suzuki)
3. Carlos Checa (Ducati)
4. Max Biaggi (Aprilia)
5. Jakub Smrz (Aprilia)
6. Michael Fabrizio (Ducati)
7. Nori Haga (Ducati)
8. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki)
9. Shane Byrne (Ducati)
10. Luca Scassa (Ducati)
