Giugliano Beats Sykes To Fastest Qualifying Time

Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Aprilia) surprised the leading pack at Assen by posting the fastest combined qualifying time in the only truly dry qualifying session of the weekend so far. Giugliano goes into Superpole 0.069 seconds ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) and his Bol d’Or winning KRT team-mate Loris Baz.

Jonathan Rea did his best to raise the spirits of the Pata Honda World Superbike team after Leon Haslam’s leg break on Friday with a fourth place going into Superpole, while Sylvain Guintoli was the fastest of the official Aprilia Racing Racing riders in fifth place. One place back Carlos Checa, on the lead Ducati Alstare Panigale, was happy to be that far up after the disappointments of his home races at Aragon last time out.

Marco Melandri was top BMW rider, seventh, one place ahead of double Aragon race winner Chaz Davies, his team-mate. Eugene Laverty placed ninth in the combined times, with Jules Cluzel’s Fixi Crescent Suzuki rounding out the top ten.

Leon Camier did not get to ride his Suzuki in the second qualifying, because of a technical issue, but he will qualify for the races at the back of the grid, as he set a good lap time in the first wet session on Friday. With Haslam still in hospital there were 19 bikes on the second day of qualifying. Superpole will take place later today for the top 15 riders.