Cluzel wins Imola thriller as Sofuoglu bows out

Full World Supersport results from Imola

Jules Cluzel has ignited the World Supersport title fight with victory at Imola as five-time champion Kenan Sofuoglu says an emotional goodbye.

Cluzel clinched the win in a four-bike battle at the front in a race highlighted with incidents across the field starting on the warm-up lap. Sofuoglu made a dramatic final bow in World Supersport by opting not to start the race after completing the warm-up lap having been struggling with injury.

The five-time world champion has retired from racing on medical advice having suffered hips and pelvis injuries. Sofuoglu’s Puccetti Kawasaki squad confirmed the Turkish rider opted not to race “not to break promises made with his family and the Turkish President as he was not at full race fitness”.

That paved way for a thrilling World Supersport race at the Italian track which saw pole-sitter Lucas Mahias tip off early on while leading and after remounting he had to fight back up the order from 20^th place.

With Mahias out of the front-running picture, GRT Yamaha teammate Federico Caricasulo took the lead but a lap later he ran wide at Acqua Minerale which saw him drop down to fourth place.

As a result, Cluzel inherited the lead and in a similar performance to his Assen victory he defended valiantly to take back-to-back wins for the first time in his career in the series.

With Cluzel winning from Caricasulo the race result has shaken up the championship fight with Randy Krummenacher, who finished fifth place Imola, claim the lead of the riders’ standings by two points from Mahias who recovered to eighth place after his early off.

Cortese, who had to settle for fourth place after losing out on the final podium spot to MV Agusta’s Raffelle De Rosa, also remains in close contention two points behind Krummenacher. Cluzel’s wins sees him move up to fourth place and close to six points off of Krummenacher at the top of the standings.