Double Trouble For Checa Hands Biaggi Victory

Bike

Italian Max Biaggi ( Alitalia Aprilia RSV)  leads the 2010 Hannspree World Superbike Championship after winning the double at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah this weekend. In both races Biaggi inherited the lead from Spaniard Carlos Checa, when the Spaniards’ Althea Ducati ground to halt with electronic issues. One retirement was a tough call, but two DNF’s in one day was a nightmare for a stunned Checa after he had built a comfortable lead in both races!

Biaggi’s main championship rival, Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare), who was hoping to celebrate his birthday in style, slid out of contention race two, which helped catapult Biaggi 15 points clear in the championship standings. Biaggi’s teammate Leon Camier had a career best second place on his Aprilia machine, while Englishman Cal Crutchlow took his Yamaha Sterilgarda bike to third with an impressive ride.

Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) again showed a return to form with a strong run to fourth place, ahead of BMW rider Troy Corser. This was the first time that two Aprilias have finished on the podium together and no doubt created much celebration in Italy today.

The championship now looks like this: Biaggi ( Alitalia Aprilia) has 257 points, Leon Haslam

(Alstare Suzuki) 242 and Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) 151.

* Photos and story by Paul Shippey.

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