Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) won the 39th WorldSSP race of his long career with a front-running display at Assen, from pole position on the grid.
Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) won the 39th WorldSSP race of his long career with a front-running display at Assen, from pole position on the grid.
Having no-scored so far after a training injury in the winter, and then suffering a fall behind a crashing rider at the previous round, Sofuoglu was not to be denied In the bright sunshine of Assen.
The five-time champion set his fastest lap on the third tour to stretch a gap that was 2.8 seconds by the end of lap nine and eventually 2.611 at the end of all 18 laps.
French rider Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) was his closest early follower, with Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) taking third – by 0.005 seconds – after a last chicane sort out.
Mahias had lead the chase behind Sofuoglu for much of the race but lost his second place to Cluzel, then reasserted his pace to go second again, heading up what was now a chasing group of six.
Kyle Ryde and Sofuoglu, WSS, Assen WSBK 2017
He made a mistake under braking that let Cluzel and Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) through, until he regained the advantage and it became a fight between the two French riders for the final two podium places.
Patrick Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was fourth after working his way through the pack, with Sheridan Morais (Kallio Race System Yamaha) fifth and Caricasulo finally sixth.
Young Italian rider Michael Canducci (3570 Puccetti Racing FMI Kawasaki) was seventh, Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing Triumph) eighth on his Daytona, Christian Gamarino (BARDHAL EVAN BROS. Honda Racing) ninth and the top ten was completed by local rider Rob Hartog (Team Hartog-Jenik-Against Cancer Kawasaki).
Kyle Ryde (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was up in fifth early on but dropped out of the leading group before half distance and finished 12th, one place behind Kyle Smith (GEMAR Balloons – Team Lorini Honda).
In the championship Mahias has 65 points, Morais 45, Roberto Rolfo (Team Factory Vamag MV Agusta) 41 and Jacobsen 39. Sofuoglu is ninth, with his 25 points from Assen.
Sofuoglu, WSS Race, Assen WSBK 2017