Image: Russell Colvin.

The remarkable comeback of triple world champion Troy Bayliss will continue at Phillip Island today, fresh from scoring a famous podium on return in race one on Saturday.

Bayliss, 48, is back on track in the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) for 2018 and has proven he will be in the battle for victory regardless of being in retirement for a decade.

The DesmoSport Ducati co-owner/rider displayed all the fighting qualities that made him a household name during his international career, surging to second in the changeable conditions of a two-part race one behind Penrite Honda’s Troy Herfoss and ahead of reigning champion Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

“I’m really so happy to get a race under my belt,” said Bayliss post-race. “In dodgy conditions you have really got to use your head, but it was very stressful.

“It was a real dog-fight in part two. Waters and Herfoss are Australian champions, switched on and good to ride with. So even though it looked pretty wild, we were pretty good to each other.”

One-time MotoGP race winner Bayliss couldn’t quite snag a victory on his 2018 debut, but it was still stellar day for the family with his 14-year-old son Oli finishing first and second in the two Supersport 300 races.

Races two and three for the Australian Superbikes will be held at 11:35am and 4:30pm today alongside the Motul Superbike World Championship opener, a series in which Bayliss won three times – 2001, 2006 and 2008 – during his illustrious career.