Photography by Gold & Goose
Honda’s Jonathan Rea scored his first victory of the season in World Superbike race two at Assen Sunday in wet conditions. Rea held off a late-race charge by fellow Brit Alex Lowes. Davide Giugliano took third on a Ducati.
It marked Rea’s 12th-career World Superbike victory.
The first attempt to start the race lasted three laps with Guintoli pulling away from Rea and Sykes before heavy rains brought out the red. The race was delayed two hours as officials waited for the weather to ease and the length of the race was shortened to 10 laps.
Once underway Rea showed his wet track riding prowess and he and his Honda pulled away from the rest of the field. Emerging from an early scrap for second was defending British Superbike champ Lowes with Giugliano holding down third.
Race one winner Sylvain Guintoli and Toni Elias were two early fallers. Eugene Laverty was another front runner who was caught out by the tricky conditions. Guintoli was able to re-enter the race and salvage valuable points.
Rea controlled the race nearly the entire way. In the closing laps however, Lowes got a sniff of the leader and began to close in at a rapid rate. On the final lap he pulled very close in on his countryman, but he was pushing too hard and lost the rear end of his Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 in a high-speed turn. He saved it, but the damage was done. Rea was now safe and was able to bring it home to victory. Lowes held on to second, with Giugliano rounded out the podium finishers.
Series leader Tom Sykes came home fourth, perhaps playing it smart running for points after seeing closest rival Guintoli crash. Leon Haslam finished fifth, ahead of Marco Melandri and Loris Baz.
Althea Ducati’s Niccolo Canepa once again topped the EVO-spec bikes.
The EBR pair of Aaron Yates and Geoff May did not start the second race. Both suffered mechanical failure in race one.
Sykes leaves Assen with a 12 point lead in the championship over Guintoli.
The series next moves to Imola on May 11.
Assen World Superbike Race 2 – April 27, 2014
1. Jonathan Rea GBR PATA Honda CBR1000RR 10 laps
2. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +2.222s
3. Davide Giugliano ITA Ducati SBK 1199 Panigale R +4.955s
4. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +13.089s
5. Leon Haslam GBR PATA Honda CBR1000RR +13.639s
6. Marco Melandri ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +18.041s
7. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +21.837s
8. Chaz Davies GBR Ducati SBK 1199 Panigale R +26.919s
9. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +32.766s
10. Niccolo Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199 Panigale R +37.965s (E)
11. Kervin Bos NED Winteb Honda CBR1000RR +44.141s (E)
12. Luca Scassa ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1m 23.769s (E)
13. Sheridan Morais RSA IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R +1m 45.062s (E)
14. Michel Fabrizio ITA IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R +1 lap (E)
15. David Salom ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +1 lap (E)
16. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +1 lap
Not Classified
17. Eugene Laverty IRL Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 7 laps completed
18. Leon Camier GBR BMW Italia S1000RR 6 laps completed (E)
19. Claudio Corti ITA MV Agusta RC F4RR 6 laps completed
20. Alessandro Andreozzi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2 laps completed (E)
21. Fabien Foret FRA MAHI Kawasaki ZX-10R 2 laps completed (E)
22. Toni Elias ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 0 laps completed
23. Jeremy Guarnoni FRA MRS Kawasaki ZX-10R 0 laps completed (E)
Ayrton Badovini ITA Bimota Alstare BB3 (E) *
Christian Iddon GBR Bimota Alstare BB3 (E) *
* Ineligible to score points, removed from results (Badovini across the line DNF, Iddon 12th)
Standings
1. T. SYKES KAWASAKI 108
2. S. GUINTOLI APRILIA 96
3. L. BAZ KAWASAKI 93
4. J. REA HONDA 89
5. M. MELANDRI APRILIA 69
