Germany's Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) and Spain's Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) picked up the two wins at the Misano in front of 68,000 spectators. With two third places, Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) increases his lead in the championship to 49 points.
In race 1, Neukirchner grabbed the win in the first race to take his second victory of the year. After playing a waiting game in the early laps, the German stepped up the pace in the second part of the race to catch and pass frontrunners Xaus and Troy Corser (Yamaha Italia), who went on to finish fourth and second respectively. Third place on the podium after an inconsistent run went to points leader Bayliss. Following a disappointing qualifying session, Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) managed to hold off the privateer Ducatis of Lorenzo Lanzi (RG) and Jakub Smrz (Guandalini). Nurburgring winner Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Italia) had a difficult race, finishing tenth after starting from row 4, while Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) was taken out by Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) in a collision on lap 12.
The second race of the day saw a sensational and unexpected 1-2 win for the private Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati team. The 25 points went to Ruben Xaus, who took his first win of the year, ahead of Max Biaggi, who capitalized on a mistake by Bayliss to grab the second podium slot. Fourth and fifth went to the two Yamahas of Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser, with Nitro-Nori making amends for his disappointing race 1. Lorenzo Lanzi again went well to finish sixth, while Neukirchner was unable to repeat his brilliant race 1 win. With his eighth place finish Carlos Checa has now been overtaken by Neukirchner in the points standings.
Max Neukirchner - Alstare Suzuki - 1st/7th I am very happy to win my second race and the feeling was very good - especially as I had started from the third row of the grid. I was patient and just worked my way up through the field and once I was in front, I knew I could win. We didn't change anything for race two, so I am a bit surprised why I couldn't do as well. The tyre was the same, but it didn't work the same way. I didn't make a good start so there was always going to be some work to do, but I was losing time exiting the turns and it was hard to pass some of the other riders. But, at the end of the day, I am happy because I am second in the championship and not so many points behind the leader.
Race 1 Highlights
Ruben Xaus - Sterligrada Ducati - 4th/1st Today's win is special to me: I fought against the rider I have learnt more from, a hardcase as only Troy Bayliss can be. I did it in Italy in front of the people which I consider to be 'my' followers and I gave a big result to my team. After having come close to the podium several times and got the forth position four times, I wanted the win and I powered to all my determination to get it. The second start has been the worst of the day but I have immediately recovered. Then, in the last part of the race, I felt I was able to get a good result, I recovered on the heading duo, I passed them and then I got my win.
Troy Corser - Yamaha Italia - 2nd/5th Race one was looking really good until Max Neukirchner appeared and our whole weekend hasn't been bad in general. Our rear tyre moved about a bit more in the second race than the first, especially under braking. We had made a couple of little changes to the front suspension for the second one, but not enough to affect the rear in any way. I ran on when the bike jumped out of gear in the second and lost some time, and the chance of a second podium.
Troy Bayliss - Ducati Xerox - 3rd/3rd It was really hot here today like every year. I had been feeling good all weekend and was feeling confident before race 1. We had chosen a hard tyre which we thought would be good but then I struggled throughout the race. I can't take anything away from Neukirchner and Corser though as they rode a great race. After Race 1 we changed the tyre for the second race, thinking that was the problem, and that was as a bit better but it was still difficult and towards the end I was losing grip with the rear. Again I take my hat off to the guys ahead of me, Ruben and Max (Biaggi), who did a fantastic job. I can say that the day has been one of the hardest of my career, but in the end we've gained more points. I'd have liked to have done better today but there you go.
Race 2 Highlights
Max Biaggi - Sterligrada Ducati - DNF(Ret)/2nd I would like to thank the Italian followers which were fantastic and I congratulate to my team-mate and to the team for the excellent work done. In race-2 I got fun, I started with great determination although I came from an hard race-1 ended with a crash that was not my fault. Ruben had an excellent pace, quicker than mine; we passed each others a couple of times and then I picked up a wise choice: I quitted to attack my team-mate in order to avoid to loose time which would have complicated the recovery on Bayliss and Corser. In the final part of the race I had a quicker pace and I was able to easy pass them getting finally back on the podium.
Noriyuki Haga - Yamaha Italia - 10th/4th We got caught in race one when Laconi crashed and I had to avoid him so to come from so far back was not easy. Race two was better and I got good points, but it has been a very hard weekend for me. I have not been able to do the same running training I would do normally, because of my injury. In this heat it made a difference and I didn't have my normal strength.
Michel Fabrizio - Ducati Xerox - DNF/11th In Race 1 unfortunately I touched Max right at the start during the second lap and I came off, there's nothing else to say. I went to apologise to Max immediately. Then in race 2 we had a technical problem with a cable and so we had to go out with the second bike for the restart. This meant that we had exactly the same set-up as in Race 1 - as we didn't finish the first race we couldn't know exactly how good the set-up was or whether we would finish the race with the tyre choice we made. We chose a softer tyre but unfortunately it wasn't the best decision. I'm sorry for today's results as, after a positive Friday and Saturday I hoped we could go better, I was hoping for a different result.
Fonsi Nieto - Suzuki Alstare - 12th/10th At the moment, I am not happy and also I have no luck. Starting from row three of the grid always makes problems and you have to push hard to catch the front runners if you are to have any chance of a good result. Maybe I was pushing too hard in the first race, trying to catch the leading group, and that's why I lost the front and crashed. It was only a small crash and I got back on the bike straightaway, but it ruined any chance of a good result. We used a harder tyre in race two, but the higher temperature meant it didn't work so well. The high temperature also meant that my bike's engine was running too hot when I was in the slipstream trying to catch the other riders. The engine wasn't getting enough cool air and its temperature went up. When that happens, you lose power, so I couldn't catch the front guys and ended 10th. The lack of air coming into my helmet made it difficult to breathe at times, so today was very exhausting. But forget the heat; I am not happy today, because I know it should've been much better.
Yukio Kagayama - Suzuki Alstare - 11th/12th Today the bike was good, but the rider's performance was not! I had pain-killing injections before both races and both times they worked for some laps, but nowhere close to the race distance. It was a big problem getting the bike to change direction and sometimes on the brakes. The broken bones heal quickly, but the ligaments take longer and they were causing me the problems today. After six or seven laps in both races, I began suffering with the pain, so I tried to use my right hand and arm more. But when the bike was shaking a bit, I found it difficult to hold the left side and it was not easy to push hard. Today, my left side performance was not as good as it should be and I am sorry because the bike has the potential to be on the podium. My team did a great job this weekend and I am just sorry I was not able to give them better results.
Carlos Checa - Hanspree Ten Kate Honda - 6th/8th It was not easy at all today. We had a lot of chattering and lost precious time in some sections of the track. It was difficult to be on the pace and keep it consistent. In the second race we made some small adjustments to the bike but it didn't increase our pace. We knew it would be difficult racing here after yesterday's results and were pleased to at least take a top five result in the first race. It's hard to start from the back of the field and my pace was too slow to make much ground. Some riders at the front crashed out so the damage was not too bad. In the second race it was impossible for me to improve my position after a bad start.
Ryuichi Kiyonari - Hanspree Ten Kate Honda - 14th/13th I want to thank my mechanics for the hard work they put in. The races have been very difficult. My pace in race one was not too bad but after the jumpstart and the ride through I just wasn't able to move up to the front. I had a bad start in race two and couldn't make as much progress as I wanted. I couldn't ride a good lap and keep my pace consistent. We've used my standard base setting for both races and the feeling was definitely better than it was at the last race, but unfortunately I failed to finish the races with good results.
Shuhei Aoyama - Alto Evolution Honda - 13th/19th I am happy to score my first points it was a good moment for us all. In race one I had a bad start and I tried to catch up the lead riders, but from the start to the end I fought with Fonsi Nieto. I just couldn't pass him. It was not so bad. In race two I had a good start but I made some mistakes and I ran too wide sometimes.
Kenan Sofuoglu - HANNspree Ten Kate Honda - 18th/DNF After the poor results in qualifying I wasn't expecting much progression in the races. My 18th place in the second race is far from satisfactory for me. In the second race I lost my rear brake and crashed out. I just hope we can improve things for the next round.
Roberto Rolfo - Hannspree Althea Honda - 17th/18th Between the two races we modified something on the bike but unfortunately it was not in the right direction. During the second race, after an excellent start, I felt the same problem we had in the first race and I was not able to exit the curves properly. I lost a lot of positions when my rear tyre started to lose grip and it was difficult for me finish the race.
Gregorio Lavilla - Vent-Axia VK Honda - 8th/14th I got a decent start in race one and made up some ground to score points in eighth place. After the restarted race two getting off the line was not great and I had to work hard to score some points.
Karl Muggeridge - DFX Corse Honda - DNF/DNF We were fast in each race and made it into Superpole so things are good when they are going right. But we have been having some problems in the heat and that is why we couldn't finish the races.
