Cycle News

second win of the weekend, and his first 'long' race win of 2023. Rea had settled into third posi- tion and was working out ways to improve, but with a few laps left to run, his front tire could not offer enough to let him keep his pace and he ended up third. His second long-race podium of the weekend. Bassani's second place equaled his career best, from way back in 2021. For American Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), it was a weekend to forget with 13th in Race One, a DNF in the Superpole Race and 13th again in Race Two. "Unfortunately, 13th place was all I had to give in Race One," Ger - loff said. "It was a very difficult weekend. I'm glad it's over. It al- ready started wrong on Friday (he crashed into his teammate Loris Baz on Friday) and continued like that on Saturday and today. I know we can do better. Now I just want to get out and look forward to the next round in Most." Even after his crash in Race Two, Bautista enjoys a 70-point gap over Razgatlioglu in the championship fight, 391 points to 321. Locatelli has 208 points and Rea 201. The next round is at Most in the Czech Republic on July 28-30. WorldSSP The WorldSSP order did not get turned upside down at Imola but there were several reminders that nothing is ever certain in racing until it is made so by results. At this most Italian of race - tracks it was only right that local- ly-born riders should dominate. The first of those was Superpole winner Federico Caricasulo on his Althea Ducati. He held off cham - pionship leader Nicolo Bulega's factory Aruba.it Ducati and also the Dutch-operated Ten Kate Yamaha R6 of Stefano Manzi. The seriously hot conditions made life hard for the riders and teams alike, but it was rela - tively hot heads rather than any climatic conditions that caused Niki Tuuli's (Dynavolt Triumph) to have an accident in the final chi- cane during Race One, stopping the race one lap early. It was a horrible if slow crash, in which two other riders could not avoid hitting Tuuli's bike and his crash helmet. It was a wrist sprain and contusion that pre- vented Tuuli from riding again, thankfully nothing more serious. The count back of laps (now more correctly of timed sectors around the lap) gave Manzi the deserved win, with the always pugilistic Marcel Schrotter (MV Agusta) second and the slightly struggling Bulega third. The second race, not short - ened like WorldSBK Race Two was, went the full 17 laps—and beyond for one luckless rider, Australian Tom Edwards, who was disqualified from tenth on his Yart Yamaha R6 long after the race finished, for being under the weight limits. Manzi took the lead from a much more competitive Bulega on lap seven and then just put 10th after tenth of a second into Bulega, ending up seven seconds ahead at the flag. With the determined Schrötter on and sometimes off the track, third place went to local rider Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Ducati), creating an all-Italian podium that repaid the swelter - ing fans for their endurance as well as their enthusiasm. In the championship Bulega's lead was trimmed reasonably tightly, with Bulega now only 41 points behind—283 to 242. Schrotter is third with 184 and second race crasher Caricasulo has 156. Gordon Ritchie WIND IN THE P36 Local boy Stefano Manzi made off with two WorldSSP wins.

• Cover