Superbike Spain: Sykes world champion

The success in the heats did not arrive, but the third place achieved in Spain was enough Tom Sykes to win the first and deserved world title among drivers.

In a race devoid of big emotions and twists, all the excitement was played out in the last kilometers with Eugene Laverty on the run followed by Marco Melandri until minus two, when the Italian passed and was then overtaken again with great skill by the Irishman a few meters from the checkered flag, marking a great victory certainly born from his qualities mixed with anger at having been shown the door without too many compliments from Aprilia, which among other things helped us take home yet another constructors' cup.

Two different smiles then at parc fermé. That of the RSV4 centaur was tense, that of the British rider of Kawasaki was filled with immense joy and tension, and among the family hugs he received an equally special one, that of Joan Lascorz who raced for Ninja until the magic carousel in Imola last year he hasn't told him enough about this sport.

As for the other quarters Sylain Guintoli, never in battle, fifth the good Toni Elias, before David Giugliano, protagonist of a couple of blunders from which he was fortunately saved, Chaz Davies, anonymous on BMW e Leon Camier on Suzuki.

Well done though Xavi Fores entered the top ten immediately on his first experience with the 1199 while his partner Ayrton Badovini was sailing in thirteenth place. Good tenth place Mark Aitchison, on the weekend yes, ahead of Jules Cluzel and Sylvain Barrier with the third S1000 RR.

Only fifteenth Lorenzo Lanzi with the old Panigale 1098, even worse Michelle Fabrizio on Honda, seventeenth. Finally withdrawn due to technical problems Leon Haslam.

RACE RANKING 1

1. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 36'00.919

2. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 36'01.137

3. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36'07.600

4. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 36'10.246

5. Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 36'21.365

6. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 36'28.552

7. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 36'29.540

8. Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 36'30.467

9. Xavi Fores (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale 36'30.883

10. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36'37.900

11. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 36'37.927

12. Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 36'44.098

13. Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale 36'48.179

14. Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale 36'53.073

15. Lorenzo Lanzi (Mesaroli Transports AS) Ducati 1098R 36'53.831

16. Federico Sandi (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36'55.333

17. Michel Fabrizio (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 37'03.028

18. Broc Parkes (Monster Energy Yamaha – Yart) Yamaha YZF R1 37'03.487

19. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 37'26.486

RT. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 33'25.707