ROAD RACE
FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 1 / FEBRUARY 24-26, 2017
PHILLIP ISLAND CIRCUIT/ PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA
P70
WORLD SUPERSPORT
Roberto Rolfo (Team Factory
Vamag MV Agusta) scored a
heroic win in what was eventu-
ally a 10-lap WorldSSP race,
even though the close attentions
of Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha
Official World SSP Team) proved
uncomfortably so over the line,
pushing him onto the grass
eventually.
The winner flashed up Ma-
hias, but the result was given to
Rolfo, who at 36, took his and
his team's first win. He won one
of his three 250GP successes
at PI in 2003, so this was a nice
return to the top of this podium,
in a very different category of
racing.
"It was an unbelievable race,
one of the best of my career,"
Rolfo said. "Maybe the best one
because of how I feel about it.
It was only 10 laps and usually
I do not like a shorter distance
race. I tried only to ride my bike
on the limit from the beginning. I
saw the other riders were slow in
front and I overtook on the very
high speed corners which was a
good sensation, fantastic."
Mahias, who survived a 140
mph crash at Stoner Corner
(turn three) on Friday with no
fractures, but a damaged finger
on his left hand, was deemed
too aggressive as he tried to
pass Rolfo. They crossed the
line at an official 0.001 gap from
each other, but Mahias was
afterwards given a one-second
penalty. He remained second in
the results.
That left the remarkable wild-
Roberto Rolfo (44)
leads Lucas Mahias
(144), Jules Cluzel (16),
Federico Caricasulo
(64), Alex Baldolini (25)
and Anthony West (13).
cont. on page 72
