Sensational Assen double for Edwards

The 2002 World Superbike title race is still wide open after a stunning double for Colin Edwards at Assen today.

The Honda rider trailed defending champion Troy Bayliss by 29 points going into today’s races, but he leaves the Dutch circuit with a one point lead after a day to forget for Bayliss.

After a solid second place in race one Bayliss took to the grass in race two and the Ducati rider’s crash shortly afterwards was almost certainly down to the resulting dirty tyres.

James Toseland score a memorable third in race two – the first time the 21-year-old HM Plant Ducati rider has stepped on to the podium in his WSB career.

Race one:

1)C Edwards 2)T Bayliss 3)N Haga 4)R Xaus 5)PF Chili 6)J Toseland 7)G Lavilla 8)B Bostrom 9)B Parkes 10)JB Borja…17)M Heckles (Ret: N Hodgson lap 10, C Walker lap 12)

Race two:

1)C Edwards 2)PF Chili 3)J Toseland 4)N Hodgson 5)B Bostrom 6)N Haga 7)C Walker 8)B Parkes 9)M Borciani 10)L Pedercini…15)M Heckles

WSS:

1)F Foret 2)I MacPherson 3)P Casoli 4)K Curtain 5)K Fujiwara 6)K Muggeridge 7)J Whitham 8)J Teuchert 9)S Chambon 10)C Kellner…16)J Ellison…18)R Frost…26)J McGuinness

Foret leads Fujiwara in the championship, 173 points to 156.