WSB: Rea edges Sykes for Assen double

Despite both riders starting from their now customary third row grid positions, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) ended up the leading duo for much of the 21 lap second race at Assen, with Rea finally winning a last chicane thriller by only 0.025 seconds.

This was Rea’s 200^th World SBK race and his 45^th career victory after an Assen double this weekend. This was also his 11^th race win at Assen in his career – and his seventh win from eight starts in 2017.

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was third, despite starting from the fourth row, with local hero Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) fourth.

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Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) made up for his race one disappointment with fifth place, while Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) finished inside the top six.

Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) overtook Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) for seventh, in a race that Laverty had led in the early stages.

Nicky Hayden (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) was just two seconds from the official Aprilia, with his team-mate Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) finally tenth. Roman Ramos (Team GOELEVEN Kawasaki) was 11^th and Leandro Mercado (IodaRacing Team Aprilia) 12^th.

Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) crashed out as he passed Ducati privateer Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Ducati).

In the championship itself, Rea now has 195 points, Sykes has 131 and Davies 111. Melandri is now fourth on an unchanged 97.

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