World Superbike Championship: Imola double puts Jonathan Rea top
Jonathan Rea has replaced Tom Sykes at the top of the WSB Championship standings after a double at Imola.
Last Updated: 11/05/14 2:26pm
Rea, who also won the second race in the previous round at Assen for the Pata Honda World Superbike Team, dominated the first race from pole position as he eased home 4.511 seconds clear of Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team).
Davies claimed second spot on the podium after outbattling fellow Briton Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team).
French duo Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) also lost out in the fight for second place and had to settle for fourth and fifth respectively, while Italian Davide Giugliano's hopes were ended when he slid out on the 12th lap.
Rea was pressed hard by Guintoli and Giugliano in the early stages of the second race but he once again asserted his authority to complete a victory hat-trick by a comfortable margin.
Davies won an intense battle for second place, finishing 4.095 seconds down this time, ahead of Guintoli.
Baz got the better of his team-mate Sykes for fourth place with Giugliano gaining some compensation for his earlier crash in sixth.
Rea's three successive wins have taken his overall points tally to 139 and he is now four points clear of Sykes with Guintoli third in the standings on 123 points, while Davies' two second places have moved him up to fifth on 87. Baz is fourth on 119.
