By Glenn LeSanto

Championship leader Troy Bayliss survived a huge last corner slide to take victory in the second World Superbike race at Lausitzring in Germany. Neil Hodgson had been putting pressure on the Australian for several laps and closed relentlessly on the Australian. As Bayliss got on the power coming out of the final turn his back wheel slid sideways across the track, momentarily unseating the Infostrada Ducati rider. But Bayliss hung on and Hodgson, also riding a Ducati, wasn’t quite close enough to capitalize on the mistake. He also spun up the rear wheel when he tried to put on the power to pass the sliding Bayliss. Championship points leader Bayliss crossed the line just two tenths of a second ahead of GSE Ducati rider Hodgson.

Behind them – and by a fair distance – Colin Edwards recovered from a poor start to take an important third position finish. Troy Corser had slipped back down the order, losing valuable Championship points as several riders passed him, demoting him from an early third place to a seventh-place finish. The result means that Bayliss increased his lead again, having slipped back slightly in race one – which Edwards won. Bayliss is now on 205 points with Edwards in second spot on 182.

Hodgson’s result is his third podium in four races.

Hitoyasu Izutsu, riding again this weekend for the Fuchs Kawasaki team, scorched through from the back of the pack to take fourth. His progress was momentarily stalled when he tried to lap Kawasaki Bertocchi rider Michele Malatesta. The factory rider wasn’t pleased and made it known with a shake of the head as he finally rode by Malatesta. Izutsu might have caught Edwards with a few more laps, as he was eating into the American’s lead by seconds each lap, but time ran out for the All Japan Superbike Champion.

Pierfrancesco Chili was another rider who made progress up through the field to finish fifth on his Suzuki.

The luckless Ben Bostrom was going the other way, and despite his dirt track origins the American has always looked uncomfortable in full wet conditions and slid down the order. He was actually lapped by fellow Ducati riders Bayliss and Hodgson. Bostrom finished a lowly 10th.

Another Ducati pilot out of luck was Australian Broc Parkes. He was up with the leaders and looking strong until his gearshift lever retaining bolt fell out – ending his race. To say the Australian was disappointed at losing a possible podium finish through such a stupid problem would be a major understatement.

Bayliss leaves Lausitzring happy having consolidated his Championship points lead.

Troy Corser is less pleased – he’s slipped from second to third in the rankings. And Colin Edwards? He summed up his weekend like this: “I’m a bad loser and I’d rather have got the double win, but this is better than a poke in the eye.”


1. Bayliss, AUS, Ducati, 45:57.655s
2. Hodgson, GBR, Ducati, 45:57.884
3. Edwards, USA, Honda, 46:20.577
4. Izutsu, JPN, Kawasaki, 46:21.981
5. Chili, ITA, Suzuki, 46:30.239
6. Ruben Xaus, ESP, Ducati, 46:32.453
7. Corser, AUS, Aprilia, 46:35.278
8. Chambon, FRA, Suzuki, 46:36.256
9. Okada, JPN, Honda, 46:37.950
10. Akira Yanagawa, JPN, Kawasaki, 46:43.833

Superbike World Superbike Championship points after seven of 13 rounds:
1. Bayliss, 205
2. Edwards, 182
3. Corser, 163
4. Chili, 143
5. Hodgson, 131
6. Ben Bostrom, USA Ducati, 102
7. Yanagawa, 99
8. Gregorio Lavilla (Kawasaki) 87
9. Okada, 82
10. Regis Laconi, Spain, Aprilia, 75.


Manufacturers points:
1. Ducati, 263
2. Honda, 228
3. Aprilia, 182
4. Kawasaki, 165
5. Suzuki, 155
6. Yamaha, 20.

Next round: Misano, San Marino – June 24