Imola WSB: Sykes takes race one win

Tom Sykes eased to victory in the first race at Imola to drastically close the gap on championship leader Sylvain Guintoli after the Frenchman was forced to retire due to a mechanical problem on lap six.

Guintoli held a 28 point lead prior to race one, but his retirement and Sykes’ victory has now closed the gap to just three points.

After setting a blistering time in superpole yesterday Sykes was fourth on the first lap, but worked his way up to the front by lap six and slowly edged away from the rest of the field.

Althea Aprilia rider Davide Giugliano led the first few laps after Jonathan Rea ran wide and onto the gravel on the first lap.

Giugliano stuck with Sykes for a number of laps but ultimately was unable to keep pace with the Kawasaki rider. Giugliano finished second.

Factory Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty completed the podium in third.

After Rea’s off track excursion on lap one the Pata Honda rider rejoined in 11th place and by lap eighteen had passed Marco Melandri to take fourth.

Rea was looking good for a podium behind Laverty but crashed out with just two laps remaining on lap 19.

1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 37’52.860
2. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38’00.058
3. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38’02.344
4. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 38’03.183
5. Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38’11.557
6. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 38’12.391
7. Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 38’15.272
8. Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 38’22.002
9. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 38’29.688
10. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 38’30.367
11. Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 38’32.099
12. Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 38’36.194
13. Federico Sandi (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 39’04.929
14. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 39’23.545
15. Noriyuki Haga (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 39’23.633
RT. Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 32’36.166
RT. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 23’53.271
RT. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 9’03.659