A last lap crash at the Misano circuit saw Jonathan Rea and Chaz Davies clash, but afterwards the respect that they hold for each other was made clear.
The pair has had a fractious relationship this year, which came to a peak after their Parc Ferme clash in Assen, but today the respect was clear to see.
On the final lap Davies tucked the front at the slow hairpin at the end of the lap, and Rea had no time to take avoiding action. The Northern Irishman ran over Davies’ back, with the Welshman needing to be carried away on a stretcher before eventually being taken to a Rimini hospital for evaluation on his injuries.
On the slowing down lap, Rea stopped his bike to check on his rival’s condition. After the race, it was clear that Rea was visibly shaken by the incident, which saw him remount and claim a podium finish.
The final laps were some of the most intense in memory with Davies, Rea, and Marco Melandri all tussling for the win. Ultimately all three would hit the deck and pave the way for Tom Sykes to take an unexpected victory.
Afterwards, the Englishman admitted he had fortune on his side, but that “every race offers 25 points to the winner so I’ll certainly take them!”
He was joined on the podium by Alex Lowes, who has had a difficult weekend with three crashes yesterday, but he took advantage of the situation presented to claim 20 points and move into fourth in the standings.
Lowes’ teammate, Michael van der Mark, led the way for most of the proceedings, but crashed out of the race with a suspected tire failure in the final third.
It was a cruel blow to the Dutchman, who had been hugely impressive in getting to the front at the start of the second lap, and holding the rest of the field at bay.
Photo: Ducati Corse
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