2014 WSBK - Misano Results

Kawasaki‘s Tom Sykes won both races at Misano to stretch his championship lead to 39 points as we pass the halfway mark of the 2014 World Superbike Championship.

The reigning champion scored his third double-win round of the season while his teammate Loris Baz added a pair of second-place finishes. David Salom on the Kawasaki’s factory EVO entry was also the top rider in the new sub-class for both races to top off a strong weekend for the Team Green.

Red Devils Roma Aprilia‘s Toni Elias took the holeshot in Race One but it was Sykes with a late pass to take the lead on the opening lap with Baz not far behind in third. Baz moved into second on the following lap as his teammate established a half-second cushion in front.

By the third lap, the two Kawasaki riders were well out in front, with Aprilia’s Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli more than two-seconds behind in third.

With first and second growing farther and farther out of reach, the two Aprilia pilots battled each other for third while trying to fend off Ducati‘s Chaz Davies, Honda‘s Jonathan Rea and Elias.

After the full 21 laps, it was Sykes with the win with Baz in second while Melandri captured the final podium position.

The second race began with Ducati’s Davide Giugliano taking an early lead. Unfortunately, he was ruled to have jumped the start and was assessed a ride-through penalty on the third lap. That handed the lead over to Sykes who ran remained well in front the rest of the race for the win.

The fight for second was a hard fought battle between Baz and Melandri who were separated by less than half a second for the entire race. The two riders swapped places a few times but time and again it was Baz regaining the advantage, eventually surviving the encounter to take second.