Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/807150
IN THE WIND P52 ninth, Hayden 10th in race one. Bradl was only 12th in race two and Hayden went out with clutch glitches. "It is not nice to get beat so badly and feel that the gap is getting further," Hayden said. "At Phillip Island I was directly in Superpole 2 and not too far away so you at least would like to be going forward. Closer to the front is more fun but you can't lose motivation." In the championship Rea is no longer the perfect points-eating machine he had been up to race two, but he is only five points from it. He has 145, Davies has 95, Sykes is third with 91 and the growing force that is Me- landri has a closing-in 81. WORLD SUPERSPORT The names out front have been flashing past on track in 2017 (10 different race leaders and three different winners so far) so it is no surprise that Sheridan Morais (Kallio Racing Yamaha) went off and away out front, only for Kyle Smith (Gemar Ballons Lorini Honda) then Morais again, to lead. Niki Tuuli, Morais' teammate, was one who fell and Thailand race winner Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha) would highside so spectacularly and foolhardily in front of returning champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) that he would collect Sofuoglu entirely. Jules Cluzel was allowed to finish this time and did so for CIA Landlords Insurance Honda, in fourth, behind the podium brilliance of winner Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha), Morais in second and American PJ Jacobsen in third place after taking Superpole. The top three flashed by, separated by just 0.153 seconds. It was Mahias' first win, and came about after the hyper-ag- gressive challenger Kyle Smith had fallen, but got back on to just miss a point in 16th. "Trouble with chattering kept me from fighting for first place," said Jacobsen. "It's a pleasure to get MV Agusta Reparto Corse their first podium this season, because they work so hard." Roberto Rolfo (Team Fac- tory Vamag MV Agusta) is now second overall, on 40 points to Mahias' new leading total of 45. Not bad for a man with a no- score against his name already— as do most other championship challengers in this year of the unforeseen twist. Third overall is Morais at 34 points. Gordon Ritchie WSBK RACE 1: 1. Jonathan Rea (Kaw) 2. Marco Melandri (Duc) 3. Tom Sykes (Kaw) 4. Sam Lowes (Yam) 5. Michael van der Mark (Yam) WSBK RACE 2: 1. Chaz Davies (Duc) 2. Jonathan Rea (Kaw) 3. Marco Melandri (Duc) 4. Tom Sykes (Kaw) 5. Michael van der Mark (Yam) WORLDSSP: 1. Lucas Mahias (Yam) 2. Sheridan Morais (Yam) 3. PJ Jacobsen (MV) 4. Jules Cluzel (Hon) 5. Michael Canducci (Kaw) PJ Jacobsen was happy with a third after taking Superpole.