WSB: Rea carves through pack for Misano double

Jonathan Rea carved through the pack to take victory in a tight second World Superbike race in Misano.

Saturday’s race winner had his work cut out starting ninth on the grid and it’d take him until the closing stages to find his way past long-time race leader Michael van der Mark.

Barni Ducati’s Xavi Fores got a storming start from third on the grid, but it wouldn’t last long for the Spaniard as his Panigale R expired in the early stages of the race.

Inheriting the lead, van der Mark looked comfortable on the PATA Yamaha and with Rea taking longer than usual to get through the pack, it began to look as though victory could go his way.

Rea’s rivals didn’t make it easy for the Ulsterman, Ducati’s Chaz Davies put up a strong fight as Rea challenged him for fourth.

Rea then had his team-mate to contend with as he fought for third place before slipping past Marco Melandri and into second to begin his chase on race leader Van der Mark.

A pass on the penultimate lap saw Rea take the lead and pull enough of a gap to take his second successive double, denying van der Mark a third victory of the year.

Melandri completed the podium for Aruba Ducati ahead of team-mate Davies who got the better of Tom Sykes in the closing stages of the race.

Alex Lowes completed the top six for PATA Yamaha ahead of the Milwaukee Aprilia duo of Lorenzo Savadori and Eugene Laverty with Loris Baz and Leon Camier rounding out the top ten.

Rea now leads the series standings by 108 points over Davies with van der Mark third a further 30 points behind.