Former World Superbike Champion Carlos Checa has been taken to hospital in Melbourne after he was knocked out in a race-one tangle with Marco Melandri.

The Alstare Ducati man clipped the rear of Melandri's Goldbet BMW on the brakes going into Honda Corner and was knocked unconscious. Trackside officials report that Checa suffered no serious injuries but obviously won't take part in race two.

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