Start-To-Finish Win For Rea At Misano

After taking an early lead Rea opened up a gap of 0.3 seconds on lap one over this team-mate and Superpole winner Tom Sykes(Kawasaki Racing Team) who was to gradually drop back and finish fifth.

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) chased hard for a podium place and was rewarded with second when Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) ran wide and lost his chance of a stand-alone season best result. With Davies sweeping through to second, 2.791 seconds behind Rea, Laverty was finally 3.7 seconds from his first win for his current team.

In fourth place, lowly starter Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) worked his way forward and was the last rider to get ahead of Sykes.

Sykes was finally 6.713 seconds behind Rea, but well ahead of sixth placed rider, and top independent, Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team Ducati).

Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) finished in a loose group, from seventh to ninth. The top ten was completed by Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki), after riders such as Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) and Loris Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team) fell.Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was also an eventual non-finisher.

Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) was 14^th and PJ Jacobsen (Triple M Honda World Superbike Team) 16^th.

In the championship, with one more Misano race on Sunday before the start of the summer break, Rea has 345 points, Davies 265, VDM 228 and Sykes 207.

By Gordon Ritchie