Sandro Cortese started from pole position with Lucas Mahias and Raffaele de Rosa alongside him on the first row, while the second included Jules Cluzel, Luke Stapleford and Randy Krummenacher. Federico Caricasulo comprised the third with Niki Tuuli and Sheridan Morais.
Lucas Mahias arrived in the Netherlands as leader of the World Championship with a total of 58 points, ahead of Sandro Cortese with 54 and Randy Krummenacher with 50. Jules Cluzel occupied sixth position with 25 points, in the absence of the injured Kean Sofuoglu to the pelvis.
Randy Krummenacher had to start the warm-up lap from the pit lane exit due to a technical problem. He started from the last place on the grid.
Fastest at the start was Lucas Mahias, ahead of Federico Caricasulo, Jules Cluzel, Sandro Cortese, Raffaele de Rosa and Luke Stapleford. Jules Cluzel took the lead ahead of Lucas Mahias, preceding Federico Caricasulo. The two teammates Sheridan Morais and Hikari Okubo were eliminated after a minor fall.
A small group stood out at the front, made up of Cluzel, Mahias, Caricasulo, Cortese, de Rosa and Stapleford. Randy Krummenacher, who started 27th and last, moved up to tenth position at the end of the third lap, 4.6 behind Cluzel. Sandro Cortese passed Federico Caricasulo quite sharply for third position.
Cluzel, Mahias, Cortese, de Rosa, Caricasulo and Stapleford were 2.5 ahead of Krummenacher who continued to move up to seventh position, ahead of local Rob Hartog. Behind Cluzel and Mahias wheel to wheel Raffaele de Rosa on his MV Agusta took third place ahead of Cortese and Caricasulo. Krummenacher with 11 laps remaining was 2 seconds behind Cluzel. Cortese tried to attack Caricasulo for third place and succeeded, while Kyle Smith fell without seriousness.
Lucas Mahias made a small mistake in the chicane and found himself fifth behind Cluzel, de Rosa, Cortese and Caricasulo. Krummenacher seventh was 2.7 behind Cluzel.
A mistake there for @Mahiaslucas who drops several positions! 🙈 pic.twitter.com/6y6HmVkleH
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) April 22, 2018
Cluzel continued with an excellent pace, and he was still ahead of Rosa, but also Cortese, Caricasulo, Mahias, Krummenacher now sixth, and Stapleford. Niki Tuuli eighth was quite far back at 13 seconds in the company of Rob Hartog.
And now he's in 4th! @Krummenator takes advantage of the incident between the Yamaha teammates!🔵#DutchWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/27obsqsXyj
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) April 22, 2018
Lucas Mahias and his teammate Federico Caricasulo were slightly in the way and Krummenacher took the opportunity to overtake them. Caricasulo fell without gravity. Six laps from the checkered flag, Cluzel was ahead of Rosa, Cortese, Krummenacher, Mahias and Stapleford.
Disaster for Caricasulo!😨 #DutchWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/klJRRkLNWh
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) April 22, 2018
Cluzel was overtaken by de Rosa with 4 laps remaining. The Frenchman regained first place ahead of the Italian, with Krummenacher third ahead of Mahias, Cortese and Stapleford.
What a ride from @Krummeantor! He now sits in 3rd 💥#DutchWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/pUanpr3Y84
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) April 22, 2018
On the very last lap, Krummenacher moved into second behind Cluzel. Jules Cluzel finally won a superb victory ahead of Randy Krummenacher, Raffaele de Rosa, Lucas Mahias, Luke Stapleford and Sandro Cortese.
What an incredible race!!!
It's @JulesCluzel16 who wins #WorldSSP breed! And @Krummenator clinches spectacular 2nd position!💪💪#DutchWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/bsv9CJI1HP
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) April 22, 2018
Race results:
Provisional ranking of the World Championship:
Photos © worldsbK.com