TOSELAND'S SMASH ALLOWS BIAGGI AND HAGA TO GRAB James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) leaves the Vallelunga SBK weekend with a further reduced championship margin of 29 points after finishing third and 11t today. Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) and Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) were the biggest benefactors of Toseland's misfortune, with Biaggi now on 367 points to Toseland's 396, while Haga is third, on 363. Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox), on 341 points, is now not able to score enough points to retain his title.

RACE ONE A spectacular display of front running after passing early leader Bayliss delivered Max Biaggi the first ever Vallelunga SBK race win, and his third victory of the year. Behind him the battle went all the way for the podium places, with Bayliss a solid second and Toseland a patient third, waiting for the penultimate lap to get past Haga once and for all, and secure an important finish. Haga scored fourth, with local rider Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda Corse) fifth. Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) was forced to retire after a crash on lap one.

RACE TW0 When it looked like a Biaggi double was on the cards, in stepped Bayliss to hold off the second charge of the local hero, and record his seventh race win of the year. Biaggi almost fell in his attempt to pass Bayliss at one stage and finished race 1.4 seconds adrift, with Haga third, Corser fourth. In a dramatic turn-up, Toseland crashed out on lap nine and had to restart, finishing only 11th. Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was the highest placed Honda finisher in race two, fifth.


XAUS AND LANZI EXPERIENCE DIFFERING FORTUNES Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati) made up for a first race crash and eventual retirement by posting a sixth place in the second, just behind Rolfo. The Spanish rider's continuing fight with factory man Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) saw Lanzi sixth in race one, seventh in race two, and thus hop above Xaus in the standings, 192 to 187. Rolfo is still in the hunt to beat either of those two riders, despite his rear tyre being hit by another machine in race one, forcing him out. He is now on 177 points. Ninth overall in the title run-in, Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany), scored one DNF after tangling with Corser's crashed bike in race one, then posting tenth in race two, just holding off Toseland. A great raceday for Shinichi Nakatomi (Yamaha YZF Team) saw him record two ninths, his best results of the year.

LACONI TOP KAWASAKI RIDER AGAIN Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) beat his team-mate Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) in race one to take seventh place, then crashed out of race two after outbraking himself. Nieto scored two solid finishes in eighth. Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda) was 13th on two occasions, riding without comprehensive traction control, and paying the price on the slower corners.

WORLD SUPERSPORT - SOFUOGLU FROM JONES AS RACE FINISHES EARLY Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and early leader Craig Jones (Revè Ekerold Honda) battled it out for the race win in the Supersport class at Vallelunga, but it was a red flag for an oil spill that finally declared the race in favour of Sofuoglu, after 17 laps of the race had been completed. In third place Joan Lascorz (Glaner Motocard Honda) had a stunning performance for Spain, overhauling the long-time third place rider, Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team). Gianluca Vizziello (RG Yamaha Team) was the highest placed local rider, in fifth. In the championship, Sofuoglu has long since been crowned champion, but in second place, Fabien Foret (GIL Kawasaki, only 14th today) still leads Parkes by 15 points, leaving a potential grandstand finish for second place at Magny-Cours.

SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP - CORTI WINS TO SET UP SPECTACULAR LAST ROUND Claudio Corti (Yamaha Team Italia) scored his first race win of the year in Superstock to ensure that four riders enter the final round of the series separated by only nine points. Niccolo Canepa (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) went from pole to second in the race and the title chase, with Ayrton Badovini (Biassono MV Agusta) third at Vallelunga. In the championship, the top four potential champions are Matteo Baiocco, Canepa, Xavier Simeon and Corti.

SEASON FINALE IN FRANCE NEXT WEEK One week from now Magny-Cours in France will host the final round of the championship, with track action starting on Friday 5th October and raceday coming on Sunday 7th.