Biaggi Shines In Misano Race One

Cycle News Staff | June 10, 2012

Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa proved today that it’s not where you start but where you finish that counts. Despite starting the first of two World Superbike races at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in 10th and 16th, respectively, the pair of veterans put on a clinic as they worked their way through the field to finish first and second.

The win went to Biaggi, the World Championship leader extending his points lead on the factory Aprilia to 30 points over Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes, 185.5-155.5, after the pair blitzed through the field to catch the leading group.

By the time they got there, that leader was Checa’s young teammate Davide Giugliano as most of the field struggled with worn tires, including Honda’s Jonathan Rea who led the majority of the early laps before fading to an eventual fifth place as tire choice played a role in this one.

Giugliano was able to hold Biaggi at bay for four laps once he was caught, but Biaggi eventually moved through to lead for the first time on the 22nd lap. It was a lead he would keep, though Checa was on him to the finish, coming up .305 of a second short at the line.

Giugliano held on for third for his second career World Superbike podium finish.

Sykes came home fourth, some four seconds behind Giugliano and three seconds ahead of Rea. ParkinGO MTC Racing’s Chaz Davies fought through to finish sixth after his poor qualifying result, barely besting fellow Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty.

Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli was close to Laverty and well clear of his Liberty Racing Effenbert teammate Jakub Smrz. Brit Leon Camier rode the Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 to 10th.

It was a bad race for the factory BMW men with Leon Haslam finishing 12th and Marco Melandri pulling out of the race on the 22nd lap.

American John Hopkins finished 17th after losing out in a three-way fight for 15th and the final championship point.

Race One

1.                  Max Biaggi (Aprilia)

2.                  Carlos Checa (Ducati)

3.                  Davide Giugliano (Ducati)

4.                  Tom Sykes (Kawasaki)

5.                  Jonathan Rea (Honda)

6.                  Chaz Davies (Aprilia)

7.                  Eugene Laverty (Aprilia)

8.                  Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati)

9.                  Jakub Smrz (Ducati)

10.                  Leon Camier (Suzuki)

 

17. John Hopkins (Suzuki)