BSB Assen: Lowes takes race one victory - just

Alex Lowes has taken victory in the first MCE British Superbike race of the day at Assen, winning a sensational battle from Shane Byrne after the pair swapped the lead six times on the last lap before Lowes was able to take the win.

Lowes was the early race leader, but he was quickly demoted back to third as first James Ellison and then Byrne were able to muscle their way through to lead. Ellison then led for the majority of the race until he was forced out on lap 12 with a mechanical problem, leaving his championship hopes all but over with a 46 point deficit.

With Byrne leading, it was then left down to him and the Samsung Honda racer to trade positions on the closing laps, before Lowes was able to make a move at the final chicane to take the win.

Tommy Bridewell was third, having failed to capitalise on his front row start in the opening laps, before clawing back through the field. Catching the leaders in the closing laps, deteriorating tyres left him unable to affect the race result.

Fourth was Tyco Suzuki rider Josh Brookes, following an early battle with Nori Haga that saw them make contact early in the race as he attempted to make a break from the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki Showdown wildcard.

Haga only just finished fifth, tangling late in the race with Kuba Smrz on the Padgetts Honda and a late-charging PJ Jacobsen, coming from 18th on the grid after a mechanical in qualifying. However, contact between the Czech and American in the last corner allowed Haga clear as Smrz took sixth.