Xerox Ducati's Michel Fabrizio has taken victory in today's second Superbike race at Imola this afternoon but team-mate Noriyuki Haga, who followed him across the line, has wrested the series lead from Ben Spies.

The Sterilgarda Yamaha man could only finish fifth behind the Aprilia pairing of Marco Simoncelli and Max Biaggi after the former lifted the latter up at the chicane with eight laps to go, forcing Biaggi across the gravel who, in turn, forced Spies wide when he re-joined the track.

Simoncelli finished third in his debut World Superbike weekend but there may be some words in the Aprilia garage following his move on his fellow Italian.

Haga now leads Spies by a mere three points with two rounds left to go at Many-Cours in France next weekend and the Portimao finale at the end of next month.

As the lights went out, Fabrizio got the holeshot and led Haga, Biaggi, Sterilgarda Ducati's Shane Byrne, Spies and Jonathan Rea on the Ten Kate Honda who made quick work of passing the American.

However, Simoncelli was the man on a mission during the opening forays and worked his way up to Rea, before passing him with one lap gone. Rea tried to get back past immediately but went wide and into the gravel, before re-joining in seventh place.

Haga and Biaggi both got past Fabrizio in the space of two corners on lap three, and Simoncelli went past Spies on the same lap. With 17 to go, Fabrizio got back past Biaggi as Haga began to stretch away.

Simoncelli and Spies then found themselves behind Byrne who looked to be holding them up, but the former British Superbike Champion had the pace to keep the factory men behind him.

With 15 laps to go, Biagi tried a move on Fabrizio but ran wide and was re-passed while Simoncelli found a way past Byrne for fourth as the Hondas of Leon Haslam and Ryuichi Kiyonari were locked together in seventh.

At this point, Haga was a second up the road from the battling Italians and with 11 laps left, Spies finally found a way past Byrne when the Briton removed a tear-off on the start/finish straight.

Spies then found some pace and set a 1'49.0 lap time as he began to chase down Simoncelli. The Italian's move on his team-mate put paid to any podium aspirations though, as when Biaggi re-joined the track, he forced Spies on to the grass.

Fabrizio, meanwhile, had pushed right up to the rear wheel of his team-mate and crossed the line for the win.
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