WSBK Superbike Cremona Race 1: Bulega crushes the race, Toprak is not enough

Ducati wins the first challenge with a Nicholas Bulega perfect, the Turk Toprak Razgatlioglu lasted only five laps. Alvaro Bautista climbed onto the 3rd step, Andrea Iannone fought well but the podium eluded him.

De Paul Gozzi / Corsedimoto.com

The double retirement due to technical problems in the Superbike at Assen further reinforced the growing dominance of Nicholas BulegaAfter a dominant Friday and the icing on the cake of pole position, the World Championship leader took on the first challenge on the Cremona track. The curves of the Lombardy mini-circuit were expected to be difficult for him, but the number 11 tackled them as if they were his own garden. Toprak Razgatlioglu tried to set the stage on fire from the start, passing the Italian twice in the final tight change of direction.

With the Ducati slightly faster than the BMW on the straight, Nicolò was able to overtake the Turk three times in a row under braking. Having figured out the maneuver, Bulega closed the door on his rival's third attempt on the most favorable line. Once he had secured first position, he picked up the pace, and the direct confrontation faded after four of the twenty-three laps on the program.

Bulega soars, Toprak limits the damage
For Nicolò, it was his eleventh World Championship victory, his fifth of the year. Toprak, meanwhile, took his third 2nd place, but lost only five points: Bulega moved up to +26 points and, despite his triumph, regretted the 37 points lost in Holland due to the crankshaft sensor that had caused the Panigale to break down during Sunday's races. Here, the Rossa was like clockwork, reaffirming its dominance on this circuit: 10 podiums won out of the twelve available, which are added to the three challenges of last September. The great day for the factory team was completed by the third place ofÁlvaro Bautista, who solved Friday's problems (three falls!) but received a new lesson from his teammate: eleven seconds of delay do not go unnoticed...

Andrea Iannone raises his head again
The former MotoGP rider quickly lost the wheel of the three podium finishers, but gritted his teeth in the second group, saving fourth place from the attacks of a Honda patrol that is starting to shine regularly in the positions that count. Iker Lecuona had passed but immediately found himself on the ground, while Xavi Virgo did not find the right opening to attack Iannone. Much more was expected from Danilo Petrucci, who had been untouchable in September and finished his first effort only seventh. The result was even worse for Andrea Locatelli, who slipped at the start of the race: his third place in the World Championship is now compromised.

The road is still long
The Cremona weekend has just begun, and on Sunday two races are scheduled that could give an even more defined face to the Superbike classification. here is the programAmong other things, the third day of the program is also weighed down by the weather risk: there is a good risk of rain, especially at the time of race 2, which would constitute an additional question mark.

WorldSBK Superbike Race 1 results in Cremona:

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Paul Gozzi

Superbike Cremona Race-1