Xerox Ducati's Troy Bayliss showed a true champion's class in the Czech Republic this morning, taking the World Superbike race one win ahead of Troy Corser and team-mate Michel Fabrizio.
Bayliss watched and waited until two thirds of the race distance before he followed Corser past Max Biaggi in one corner to take the lead and never looked back. Corser stuck with his fellow Aussie until there were only four laps to run but he couldn't match the Ducati's pace and Bayliss romped home one and a half seconds in front.
Biaggi led into the first corner with Bayliss and Corser in close attendance. They immediately put a break on the field but as they swapped places, Alstare Suzuki's Max Neukirchner went past Fabrizio and got onto Bayliss' rear tyre.
After five laps, the German managed to get past Bayliss as Biaggi put a move on Corser for the lead. Further back, Fabrizio was holding up the fast-closing Ryuichi Kiyonari as Neukirchner began to experience tyre problems.
With eight laps to go, Corser went back past Biaggi for second as Bayliss attempted to pull the pin. He was trying hard to break Corser as the Xerox Ducati ran wide in a couple of corners but Corser kept his head down and didn't let Bayliss go.
Kiyonari, also experiencing tyre wear, had to settle into a battle with Neukirchner as Fabrizio went after Biaggi. The Roman Emperor tried valiantly to fend off Fabrizio but to no avail as he sailed past on the last lap with four corners to go.
In the end, Neukirchner had to settle for seventh behind Noriyuki Haga, who is riding with an "itchy" collarbone following his crash and subsequent surgery.
The win increases Bayliss' lead to 65 points over Max Neukirchner, who now has a four point lead over Carlos Checa, who finished the race in eighth.
Results
1. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Xerox 1098 F08 20 laps
2. Troy Corser AUS Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 +1.468secs
3. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098 F08 +3.272secs
4. Max Biaggi ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven 1098 RS08 +3.475secs
5. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +3.791secs
6. Noriyuki Haga JPN Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 +9.120secs
7. Max Neukirchner GER Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +9.358secs
8. Carlos Checa SPA Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +11.787secs
9. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +17.228secs
10. Kenan Sofuoglu TUR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +17.705secs
11. Karl Muggeridge AUS D.F. Racing CBR1000RR +22.347secs
12. Shinichi Nakatomi JPN YZF Yamaha YZF-R1 +25.563secs
13. Niccoló Canepa ITA Ducati Xerox 1098 F08 +25.699
14. Fonsi Nieto SPA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +34.064secs
15. Gregorio Lavilla SPA Ventaxia VK Honda CBR1000RR +36.545secs