Portimao WSB: Perfect end to career for Bayliss with double win

Troy Bayliss has ended his WSB career in perfect form after grabbing pole position and taking the double win at the Parkalgar Autodrome, with Brit Leon Haslam finishing third.

As in the first race Bayliss took to the lead early on during the first lap and gapped the following riders leaving them no hope of catching him. Biaggi got the holeshot, but in the madness of the first corner lost several places and Ruben Xaus came out of the first corner in frst. But it wasn’t long before Bayliss found himself at the front of the pack.

Ulsterman Jonathan Rea battled with Ruben Xaus for second place early on in the race and on lap four nearly collided with the rear wheel of Xaus, which sent him wide and pushed him back to fifth behind Troy Corser.

Noriyuki Haga was enjoying riding in second place when on lap he was issued with a ride through penalty. Bayliss’s temam-mate Michel Fabrizio then started to move up the pack and by lap nine he was in second place.

Fabrizio did not get it all his own way as Ruben Xaus challenged him for second place, allowing Checa to catch up to the pair. On lap 10 Ruben Xaus high-sided his Sterilgarda Ducati while chasing Fabrizio. Carlos Checa narrowly avoided Xaus and his bike, but had to run off track doing so, pushing him back down the pack.

Max Neukirchner moved up to third place.

Leon Haslam then started to move through the pack from fifth after having a quiet race. On lap 14 he passed Troy Corser to move up into fourth and pushed to catch Neukirchner for the final step on the podium.

On lap 20 of 22 Haslam managed to pass Neukirchner and managed to hold the young German off to cross the line in third.

Fellow Brits Crutchlow and Rea finished ninth and fifteenth respectively.

1. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Xerox 1098 F08  38mins 26.125secs
2. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098 F08  +3.638secs
3. Leon Haslam  GBR HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR +4.356secs
4. Max Neukirchner GER Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000  +4.983secs
5. Fonsi Nieto ESP Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000  +6.775secs
6. Troy Corser AUS Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 +7.403secs
7. Carlos Checa  ESP Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +7.578secs
8. Gregorio Lavilla ESP Ventaxia VK Honda CBR1000RR +16.113secs
9. Cal Crutchlow  GBR HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR  +16.284secs
10. Regis Laconi  FRA PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse ZX-10R +16.446secs
11. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +21.633secs
12. Jakub Smrz  CZE Guandalini Racing by Grifo’s 1098 RS08 +22.098secs
13. Max Biaggi ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven 1098 RS08  +24.089secs
14. Noriyuki Haga JPN Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1  +24.117secs
15. Jonathan Rea  GBR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +31.003secs
16. Ayrton Badovini  ITA Team Pedercini ZX-10R  +31.136secs
17. Shinichi Nakatomi JPN YZF Yamaha YZF-R1  +31.330secs
18. Roberto Rolfo  ITA Hannspree Honda Althea CBR1000RR +32.272secs
19. Chris Walker  GBR Ventaxia VK Honda CBR1000RR +34.049secs
20. Sebastien Gimbert FRA Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 YZF-R1 +35.028secs
21. Karl Muggeridge AUS D.F. Racing CBR1000RR  +41.669secs
22. David Checa  ESP Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 YZF-R1 +44.889secs
23. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000  +47.366secs
24. Makoto Tamada JPN PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse ZX-10R  +48.733secs
25. Tommy Bridewell GBR Team NB Suzuki GSX-R1000  +1min 07.702secs
26. Shuhei Aoyama  JPN Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR +1min 14.242secs
27. Luca Scassa  ITA D.F. Racing CBR1000RR  +1min 34.781secs
28. Luis Carreira  POR Benimoto Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8  +1min 37.326secs
29. Christian Zaiser AUT Grillini PBR Team YZF-R1  +1 lap