SSP | Pata Italian Round, Race: Jules Cluzel wins a hard-fought race

Jules Cluzel wins the Supersport race in Imola, where the fifth round of the Championship is being held: the Frenchman wins thanks to a final sprint over Federico Caricasulo, who risks everything in the final corners to snatch the victory from him, and Raffaele De Pink that brings MV Agusta to the lowest step of the podium.

The reigning champion Lucas Mahias ruins his race in the opening laps with a crash which fortunately does not damage the bike but relegates him to eighth place.
Also decisive for Caricasulo was his off-track excursion while he was leading, which forced him to recover from fourth position: without this error the victory would probably have been his.
Fourth place for another credited with the final success, Sandro Cortese with the Kallio Racing Team Yamaha who also paid for a few too many mistakes, followed by Randy Krummenacher and Anthony West, the first non-Yamaha bike in the standings.
Seventh place for the Finn Niki Tuuli, eighth as mentioned for Mahias ahead of Luke Stapleford and Okubo who complete the top ten.

The world rankings now see Randy Krummenacher in command with two points ahead, 81 to 79, over Lucas Mahias and four over Sandro Cortese, third, while Cluzel and Caricasulo rise to 75 and 69 respectively.

In parc fermé, however, all the honors went to Kenan Sofuoglu who today ends his extraordinary career crowned by five world titles in Supersport, a category which has seen him dominate unchallenged for years.
The Turkish rider did not take part in the race following his crash in this morning's Warm Up: for him a lap of honor amidst applause from the public and homage from all the WorldSuperbike riders, who rushed to the podium to greet him.

Next meeting in two weeks at Donington Park.

Below is the order of arrival of the Pata Italian Round race, Supersport World Championship:

1. Jules Cluzel FRA NRT Yamaha YZF-R6 17 laps
2. Federico Caricasulo ITA GRT Yamaha YZF-R6 +0.363s
3. Raffaelle De Rosa ITA MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag F4 RC +0.906s
4. Sandro Cortese GER Kallio Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 +0.990s
5. Randy Krummenacher SUI Bardahl Evan Bros. Yamaha YZF-R6 +14.270s
6. Anthony West AUS EAB antwest Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R +15.844s
7. Niki Tuuli FIN CIA Landlords Insurance Honda CBR600RR +16.199s
8. Lucas Mahias FRA GRT Yamaha YZF-R6 +16.200s
9. Luke Stapleford GBR Profile Racing Triumph Daytona 675 +18.471s
10. Hikari Okubo JPN Puccetti Kawasaki ZX-6R +20.206s
11. Rob Hartog NED Team Hartog Against Cancer Kawasaki ZX-6R +21.416s
12. Thomas Gradinger AUT NRT Yamaha YZF-R6 +21.765s
13. Loris Cresson BEL Kallio Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 +21.880s
14. Andrew Irwin GBR CIA Landlords Insurance Honda CBR600RR +38.549s
15. Nicola Morrentino Jr. ITA Renzi Corse Kawasaki ZX-6R +39.697s
16. Hannes Soomer EST Racedays Honda CBR600RR +40.782s
17. Peter Sebestyen HUN SSP Hungary Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R +44.704s
18. Michael Canducci ITA Team GoEleven Kawasaki ZX-6R +46.636s
19. Alfonso Coppola ITA GRT Yamaha Junior Team YZF-R6 +46.884s
20. Lorenzo Gabellini ITA GAS Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 +47.993s
21.Wayne Tessels NED Chromeburner Wayne's Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R +49.707s
22. Nacho Calero ESP Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawsaki ZX-6R +1m
23. Stefan Hill GBR Profile Racing Triumph Daytona 675 +1m
24. Kyle Smith GBR Gemar Team Lorini Honda CBR600RR +1m

Did not finish
Marco Malone ITA Team Greenspeed Kawasaki ZX-6R
Eemeli Lahti FIN Sterkman Motorsport by HRP Suzuki GSX-R600
Jaimie van Sikkelerus NED Gemar Team Lorini Honda CBR600RR
Massimo Roccoli ITA GAS Racing Yamaha YZF-R6
Ayrton Badovini ITA MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag F4 RC

Did not start
Kenan Sofuoglu TUR Puccetti Kawasaki ZX-6R
Javier Ezepuiel Iturrioz ARG Team GoEleven Kawasaki ZX-6R
Davide Stirpe ITA Extreme Racing Bardahl MV Agusta F3 675