Phillip Island Word Superbikes: Bayliss crashes out, but still goes fastest

Troy Bayliss ended the hour long second qualifying session in the medical centre after crashing his Xerox Ducati with four minutes to go.

Bayliss high sided at the fast turn 11 and there was initial concern that he had damaged the collarbone he broke in testing back in January. Bayliss soon got to his feet clutching his left arm and was taken to the medical centre where he received eight stitches in his left elbow.

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Despite the crash, Bayliss stayed pole thanks to an impressive 1m32.127s lap set a few minutes earlier.

Bayliss said: “I feel fine. I’ve had it stitched up and the guys offered me antibiotics, but I decided not to take them at least until after Superpole.”

Troy Corser took second place just 0.024 seconds behind Bayliss and given Bayliss’ injury will be confident in taking his 42nd pole position during Superpole this afternoon.

Italian Michel Fabrizio backed up his Xerox Ducati team-mate to take third with Ten Kate Honda man Carlos Checa making big strides on the new Fireblade to round off the provisional front row of the grid.

It wasn’t such a good day for Checa’s Ten Kate Honda team-mates Ryuichi Kiyonari and Kenan Sofuoglu. Kiyonari crashed at Honda hairpin and ended up outside of the Superpole qualifiers in 19th with Sofuoglu further back in 21st.

Final times:

1 21 T. BAYLISS AUS Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08 1’32.127

2 11 T. CORSER AUS Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha YZF-R1 1’32.151

3 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098 F08 1’32.227

4 7 C. CHECA ESP Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1’32.447

5 111 R. XAUS ESP Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08 1’32.478

6 96 J. SMRZ CZE Guandalini Racing by Grifo’s Ducati 1098 RS 08 1’32.511

7 76 M. NEUKIRCHNER GER Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’32.543

8 3 M. BIAGGI ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08 1’32.565

9 10 F. NIETO ESP Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’32.737

10 55 R. LACONI FRA Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’32.831

11 41 N. HAGA JPN Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha YZF-R1 1’32.837

12 83 R. HOLLAND AUS D.F. Racing Honda CBR1000RR 1’32.908

13 31 K. MUGGERIDGE AUS D.F. Racing Honda CBR1000RR 1’33.060

14 94 D. CHECA ESP Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 Yamaha YZF-R1 1’33.237

15 36 G. LAVILLA ESP Ventaxia VK Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1’33.269

16 44 R. ROLFO ITA Hannspree Honda Althea Honda CBR1000RR 1’33.289

17 57 L. LANZI ITA R.G. Team Ducati 1098 RS 08 1’33.416

18 100 M. TAMADA JPN Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’33.460 41

19 23 R. KIYONARI JPN Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1’33.522

20 194 S. GIMBERT FRA Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 Yamaha YZF-R1 1’33.715

21 54 K. SOFUOGLU TUR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Jr.Honda CBR1000RR 1’33.728

22 38 S. NAKATOMI JPN YZF Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 1’33.833

23 13 V. IANNUZZO ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’34.088

24 88 S. AOYAMA JPN Alto Evolution Honda SuperbikeHonda CBR1000RR 1’34.220

25 86 A. BADOVINI ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’34.291

26 22 L. MORELLI ITA Alto Evolution Honda SuperbikeHonda CBR1000RR 1’34.345

27 77 L. NAPOLEONE FRA Grillini PBR Team Yamaha YZF-R1 1’38.220