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Lausitz WorldSBK: Ducati's Davies takes race-one win

Aruba Ducati’s Chaz Davies has taken the Lausitzring WorldSBK race one win, passing poleman Tom Sykes for the lead on lap two and never looking back, crossing the line with a 1.8s advantage over reigning champion Jonathan Rea.

Sykes made the holeshot but could only fend off the Panigale man for a lap as Davies set a new lap record as he moved past the Kawasaki man. Rea, who made a slight error into the first corner, took second from Sykes a lap later and it was a procession from there on in.

Davies, like most of the rest of the field, opted for the harder rear Pirelli while the two Kawasaki men went for the soft. Rea’s challenge lasted until there were three laps to go but then Davies began to ride away from the championship leader - whose gap at the top of the championship table increases by four points to 63.

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Sykes suffered a minor slump in pace mid-race but then came back at his KRT team-mate. However, it wasn’t quite enough as the Huddersfield man suffered with some spin on the longer corners and he couldn’t quite back on to Rea’s rear wheel.

Marco Melandri had a fairly lonely race for fourth place, which means he is on pole tomorrow, but was caught hand over fist by Leon Camier’s MV Agusta in the final laps and only held on to his position by half a second as the former BSB champion was two seconds faster on the last lap.

Camier dragged Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes with him to finish in sixth. Lowes was passed by Camier in the opening laps but Lowes stuck to the MV’s rear wheel but didn’t have enough at the end to put a pass on the Andorra resident despite ending with quicker laptimes.

Milwaukee Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori didn’t make the best of his front-row start, slipping back to seventh, one ahead of Xavi Fores. Jordi Torres fought his way from almost last to finish in ninth place. It was a similar story for Eugene Laverty who ran wide into turn one on the first lap, re-joining in 18th place.

The Irishman fought his way back to ninth place but then ran out of tyre, slipping back to tenth place. Tatti Mercado, on the Ioda Aprilia, finished in 11th with Randy Krummenacher next along. Hometown hero Markus Reiterberger rode off the track twice on his way to 13th place.

Michael Van Der Mark also had an off-track moment on lap three and ended in 15th after his laptimes dropped into the 1’41s in the closing stages.

It was another nightmare for Red Bull Honda. Stefan Bradl didn’t start after increased pain from the elbow he injured meant he was unable to ride while Davide Giugliano retired at half distance.

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