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Laguna WSBK: Sykes beats Rea to Superpole by 0.055s

Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes produced another magnificent Superpole performance as he beat team-mate Jonathan Rea to top spot at Laguna Seca World Superbike by just 0.055s.

Rea was the first rider to make it to the top of the timesheets early in the shootout as he saw his 1’23.548 followed in by MV Agusta’s Leon Camier and the Honda of Michael Van Der Mark.

Aruba.it Ducati’s Davide Giugliano also got himself in the mix in the opening exchanges as he moved second before Rea re-imposed himself at the top with an even better 1’23.141.

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Giugliano’s Ducati team-mate Chaz Davies was next to put it up to Rea, taking second before he was usurped by Sykes but those were only early markers as the real battle was yet to come.

The whole grid was in the pits working frantically on a final strategy before putting the qualifying tyres on, as Honda’s Nicky Hayden became one of the first to emerge on his outlap.

Van Der Mark had shot the gun early, moving third on the qualifying tyre but by now Rea, Davies and Hayden were under in all three sectors and continuing to press hard for the line.

Davies was first to lead the way on a 1’22.937 as Hayden slotted into second before Rea took top spot and a flying Davide Giugliano made his way into place behind the Kawasaki rider.

It looked as if the world champion had done enough, but Sykes was still on the final part of his lap and he made it count at the flag as the Yorkshireman fired in a 1’22.155 to get the upper hand on his team-mate by the finest of margins.

Sykes, Rea and Giugliano completed the front row ahead of Davies, Barni Racing’s Xavi Fores and Hayden with Althea BMW’s Jordi Torres, Ioda Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori and Pata Yamaha’s Niccolo Canepa filling out the third row.

Britain’s Alex Lowes could only manage tenth on his Pata Yamaha as he finished just ahead of the Superpole 1 qualifying duo of Van Der Mark and Camier.

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