Source: Supplied.

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea has taken his first victory since Assen in a classic game of cat and mouse at Misano World Circuit, holding off intense pressure from teammate Tom Sykes throughout WorldSBK race one.

Honda’s Michael van der Mark, after a storming start, completed the podium in third after a difficult Superpole 2 earlier on Saturday.

A drama filled first part of lap one saw Lorenzo Savadori fall foul of a tussle just behind the front few bikes, with the Aprilia sliding off into the gravel and sadly seeing the Italian rookie unable to finish his first WorldSBK race in Misano.

Chaz Davies was pushed down outside the top 10 as Torres, Camier and Savadori got caught up in chaos and the biggest winners off the line were undoubtedly Honda’s Michael van der Mark and Pedercini’s Anthony West, with the Australian moving well into the top 10.

Van der Mark, who pulled through the field with a stunning launch and first lap to cross the line at the end of lap one in fifth, then saw Ducati rider Davide Giugliano lowside off the track in front of him, before Honda teammate Nicky Hayden suffered a spectacular trip through the gravel at the final corner.

Davies and Aruba.it teammate Giugliano faced an uphill battle through the field, with the Italian eventually coming home in 14th.

Head down and focused, Davies fought back into the top five by lap 11, on course for a good haul of points after a disastrous start. Davies hunted down Jordi Torres to end race one just off the podium in fourth.

Torres ended Althea BMW’s race one in fifth for the team at home, just ahead of Althea teammate Markus Reiterberger, crossed the line in sixth in another good rookie showing, competing a fantastic first race of the home round for the Althea BMW team.

Pata Yamaha’s Niccolo Canepa, riding in place of recovering Sylvain Guintoli, crossed the line in seventh at his and Pata’s home race in an impressive showing, ahead of MV Agusta rider Leon Camier, who after getting tangled up at the start rode a solid recovery for the MV.

Roman Ramos put in an impressive performance to take ninth for Team GoEleven, ahead of Anthony West on the Pedercini Kawasaki who rounded out the top 10.

Milwaukee BMW’s Josh Brookes crossed the line in 11th in a solid performance, ahead of Aprilia’s Alex De Angelis at his closest circuit to home.

The second Pata Yamaha machine of Alex Lowes crossed the line in 13th after the Brit suffered a run off early on, an impressive showing nonetheless as the former British champion recovers from a broken collarbone, with Giugliano in 14th ahead of Pawel Szkopek competing the points in 15th.

Rea has completed a double at Misano World Circuit, stalking teammate Sykes until pulling away with five laps to go and crossing the line with a three second margin in an impressive display from the reigning world champion. Giugliano made amends for a home crash in race one to complete the podium for Aruba.it Racing – Ducati.

Sunday dawned in Misano with blue skies despite the threat of rain, and the weather held off for another incredible race on the Riviera di Rimini.

Rea got the jump on Sykes off the line as Yamaha’s Lowes tried to muscle through on the inside of the Yorkshireman, before Sykes swooped around the outside to take back P1 and the KRT duo started to pull a gap on those behind.

An early, spectacular incident saw Althea BMW rider Markus Reiterberger highside out of the race on the first lap in a mid-field tussle at turn eight, with the German walking away from the incident unaided.

A further fall on lap three, this time a lowside for Davies, then interrupted the midfield rhythm again as Honda rider Van der Mark was forced to shut off the gas to try and avoid the fallen Ducati, making contact enough to cause the Dutchman to fall before both were able to get back on their bikes.

Van der Mark then faced a fight back through the field, as Davies was forced to pull into the pits. The Dutchman put his head down and pulled back the deficit to the points, then focusing on the top ten and crossing the line in tenth.

Giugliano, after having suffered a similar crash in race one to that of his teammate in race two, began to pull away from Barni Racing’s Xavi Forés in a bid to add another podium finish to his tally in 2016, keeping a healthy gap to the Panigale R behind to cross the line in third for some home glory.

Forés followed the Italian home in fourth in an impressive ride, ahead Savadori for IodaRacing. Savadori, who has won the last two STK1000 races at Misano, was able to show the potential of his Aprilia after having his race one cut short, coming home in fifth for another impressive rookie result, and a great haul of points at the home round of rider, team and manufacturer.

Althea BMW rider Jordi Torres had a solid ride into seventh in the tightly packed mid-field, just losing out to Honda rider Hayden as the American took the Spaniard with two laps to go.

Lowes came home in eighth for Pata Yamaha at Pata’s home Round despite still suffering the after-effects of his broken collarbone in Sepang, ahead of stand-in teammate Niccolo Canepa, who collected another impressive top ten in ninth, ahead of charging Van der Mark.

MV Agusta Reparto Corse rider Camier, after an interrupted Race 1 followed by an incredible comeback, was sadly unable to finish race two at the team’s home round after a technical problem caused his retirement on lap 13.

West got more points for Pedercini in 11th, ahead of Roman Ramos for GoEleven in 12th and San Marinese rider Alex De Angelis in 13th. Milwaukee BMW pairing Brookes and Karel Abraham completed the points positions in 14th and 15th respectively.

Reigning World Supersport Champion Kenan Sofuoglu has taken another impressive win in 2016 at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, crossing the line ahead of Bardahl Evans Bros. Honda rookie Federico Caricasulo and Honda rider PJ Jacobsen after a three-way fight for the win.

The next round of WorldSBK will take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, from the 8-10 July as the paddock prepares to attack the corkscrew.