Race 1 at the TT Circuit Assen for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship did not disappoint, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claiming his fifth podium with BMW in just his seventh race with the German manufacturer. Razgatlioglu was catching race winner Nicolas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team) in a race which was red flagged with seven laps remaining due to track conditions.
Throughout the whole race, Razgatlioglu battled with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing—Ducati), with positions between the WorldSBK Champions changing on every lap. However, the #54 overtook at the final corner, with the red flag coming out just half a lap later.
Speaking after a tricky race, Razgatlioglu said: “It’s the first time I’m racing this bike in these difficult conditions. The first set up was full wet, but everyone used slick tyres and tried to find a good line. In general, in the first laps, I’m just watching other riders. I saw some dry lines, so I started pushing. I needed one more lap for the victory, but this is racing, we saw the red flag, and everything is finished. I was fighting with Alvaro. In general, I’m happy because we got a podium again. It looks like we’re strong but we’re still learning.”
The race winner was Spinelli, who was announced as a replacement rider for Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) for Assen. Petrucci is currently unfit after suffering fractures to his jaw and right collarbone. Allowing the Italian to cross the line to win on Saturday and become the 80th WorldSBK race winner and add his name to the history books as the 12th youngest winner in WorldSBK history.
Spinelli was in the lead of the race at the end of lap one after making a gamble to race with intermediate tyres, while Razgatlioglu and Bautista were on slicks. The #24 was two seconds ahead of Razgatlioglu when the red flag came out, forcing Razgatlioglu to wait until Sunday to attempt to win.
Speaking about Spinelli’s tyre gamble, Razgatlioglu said: “I understood that he used the wet tyres, but I saw after the race he used the intermediate tyre. This is good because it tells me they also have very good grip. I went to the grid on intermediate tyres. It was easier to riding, slick tyres felt strange because of sliding. I saw Iannone’s crash, he touched the white line. I’m riding calmly, taking good points for the Championship. We got a podium, this is perfect for me. We have another race tomorrow.”
Watch more unbelievable action from Assen on Sunday using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
A new face made their debut in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen and wasted no time in making their mark. Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed an incredible victory in his first race, giving the Barni Ducati team their first win in the WorldSBK class. The #24 was the only rider to use an all-intermediate combination and it paid off as he built up an incredible gap before a well-timed red flag from Spinelli’s view helped him to victory.
The Italian was quick in a wet Tissot Superpole session and took 11th place on the grid, showing his wet weather prowess which he did in WorldSSP last year with a podium in Australia. Using the intermediate tyres, he surged up the order to take the lead on the opening lap and opened up a gap of around 25 seconds. Although he lost masses of time in the final few laps, a red flag thanks to oil on track at Turn 15 allowed him to hold on for victory ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). Spinelli’s win is just the third time WorldSBK has had two debutant winners in a single season, in 1989 after Doug Polen and Peter Goddard and 1996, with John Kocinski and Yuichi Takeda.
HIS THOUGHTS: “I won, in front of Toprak and Bautista, the name of some legends”
On the win, Spinelli said: “It’s incredible! My first race, I won, in front of Toprak and Bautista, the names of some legends. It’s incredible because I tried the Superbike yesterday for the first time, so when I tried, I said, ‘wow, it’s incredible’. Step by step and session by session, my feeling is really good. I’m very happy for the team as well.”
WHY INTERMEDIATES? “I didn’t have the experience… it was a team decision!”
“I made the decision because I don’t have experience with the bike,” began Spinelli when asked about the reasons he went for intermediates. “I said with my team that I didn’t know what the good tyre would be, so it was a team decision to go for the intermediate. In the first laps, I rode very well because I had a very big gap, up to 25 seconds, but in the latter laps, the gap got closer. When I saw four seconds on the last lap, I said, ‘it’s finished for me!’. Then I saw the red flags and for this, I’m very lucky, but this is racing.”
THE TEAM’S VIEWS: “He’d never ridden a Superbike… we decided to give him this opportunity!”
Reacting to the team’s first win in WorldSBK, Team Manager Marco Barnabo said: “We are very happy to have won this race. Obviously, we are sorry that Danilo got injured and couldn’t lead this race, for which he could and would have been a protagonist. Anyway, we are happy because it is our first victory in the Superbike World Championship. After Danilo got injured, we had to decide whether to keep the bike off or put someone in his place. We decided to have Spinelli, who had won the Italian Supersport with us and then for many reasons we couldn’t go on with him in other World Supersport seasons. So, we decided to give him this opportunity and to have won the race with him, who had never ridden a Superbike, and came here in really difficult conditions, it was very, very nice. Fantastic.”
ZAMBENEDETTI SAYS: “A special moment… an incredible race!”
In the middle of the pit lane celebrations, Ducati Corse Technical Director Marco Zambenedetti said: “It was an incredible race! I’m really happy for Barni, the team and all the staff. In the end Spinelli did a great job, he took some risks but I’m happy. A special moment for Barni, after many races.”
Don’t miss out on what will be a spectacular Sunday at Assen, watch it all using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship was back in action at the TT Circuit Assen for a thrilling race, with changeable conditions throughout. Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Trafc Kawasaki) took victory after an amazing end to the race – stealing the race lead at the perfect point and making it count.
MAGIC FOR MOGEDA: Mogeda wins in an all-Spanish podium
As always, WorldSSP300 provided everything, with battles throughout the field, twists in the Championship, and unpredictable results. However, after entering the last lap in third position, Mogeda made his presence known – pouncing to take the race lead on the last lap and defending to the line to take his first win. Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) finished in second after a brilliant race from P7 on the grid to claim his maiden podium. Inigo Iglesias rounded out the podium and came across the line in third to make it the first all-Spanish podium in WorldSSP300 since 2019.
REDUCED RACE: a crash from Buis brings out the red flag
Jefferey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) made a historic start to the race, stealing the race lead at the end of the first lap from P10 on the grid. The first incident of the race came on lap two, with Emiliano Ercolani (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team) and Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) crashing on lap two of the race. However, one lap later, Buis crashed on the exit of the final corner, collecting Julio Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) – bringing out the red flags. Buis was declared unfit due to concussion and would be transported to hospital for further assessment.
The race was restarted, with Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) starting in P1 for a five-lap reduced-distance race. The Dutch rider led on the restart of the race to begin yet another WorldSSP300 classic. Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) pulled off an unbelievable save on the #26 machine. Meanwhile, Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) and Samuel Di Sora (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) were the next fallers at turn five.
SPOTS OF RAIN: a drama-filled last lap
The final lap was filled with drama, with Iglesias battling in a 16-rider group for the race lead. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) crashed on the final lap of the race. However, Mogeda took the lead on the final lap of the race, holding his line at the final corner and crossing the line to win after a perfect drive out of the final corner.
INSEPARABLE: less than two seconds separate the top 10
Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) brought his Kawasaki to the line in fourth after Veneman finished fifth on the #7 machine – receiving a penalty after the race. The Dutch rider ended the race ahead of Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing), who also received a penalty and rounded out the top six. Ruben Bijman (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) was seventh, ahead of Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse), who was eighth after qualifying on the front row in the Tissot Superpole. Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) finished ninth and was the only KOVE machine in the restart after his teammate on the #48 was unable make the restart. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) rounded out the top 10 in yet another unpredictable WorldSSP300 race.
The top six from WorldSSP300 Race 1, full results here:
1. Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki)
2. Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) +0.083s
3. Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.086s
4. Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.658s
Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) claimed his first pole position for Yamaha in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship after a dramatic Tissot Superpole session at the TT Circuit Assen. The #65 had endured a difficult start to life in blue but he mastered the wet-but-drying conditions perfectly to take pole position at a circuit he’s enjoyed so much success at, with Rea joined on the front row by Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and 2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).
SOME RAIN FALLS AGAIN: wet but a rapidly drying track…
Rain started falling just seconds before the pit lane opened to add even more drama to the 15-minute session, although the worst of the track conditions were towards the end of the lap even with constant improvement. At the halfway stage of the session, Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was the pacesetter with a 1’43.444s before he went even faster on his next lap to post a 1’43.026s and even further to a 1’42.650s, showing the track evolution as it dried out, although he did face competition from Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who was just a tenth away from the #65.
TAKING A FRONT ROW: Rea to lead away the grid
Despite the track drying, times didn’t improve too much with Rea able to hold on to claim a first Yamaha pole position, and making it poles with three different manufacturers, joining Noriyuki Haga and Stephane Mertens and only behind Troy Corser with six. It’s his 44th pole position and his first in 203 days, with his last coming at Portimao last year, while it was also Great Britain’s 160th pole position. He was 0.094s clear of Bulega, who had been so impressive in the fully wet FP3 session. He’s made it three front row starts in three rounds in his rookie season. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claiming third place with a 1’43.003s, around 0.353s down on Rea.
TWINS INSEPARABLE: Sam leads Alex in Superpole
The second row will feature Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and twin brother Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with the pair going from fourth and fifth respectively. Sam posted a 1’43.190s to lead his brother by just a couple of tenths and they’ll be hoping they battle each other on track potentially for a podium. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has been fast at Assen so far and secured a second row start as he looks for a first rostrum in WorldSBK.
CHAMPION WITH WORK TO DO: P7 for Bautista, Spinelli impresses
Defending Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will line up from the third row after taking seventh. It’s a season-best Superpole result for the #1 and he’ll be hoping he can repeat his feats from Australia and Barcelona where he was able to challenge for the podium. He’s joined on the front row by former teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) in eighth with Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) in ninth. After a difficult weekend so far, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) will lead away the fourth row, joined by stand-in rider Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team) who took 11th.
DRAMA FOR THE HOME HERO: tyre gamble fails to pay off…
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had tried a tyre gamble by pitting for fresh wet tyres but a crash at Turn 5 on his first flying lap with the new tyres ruined his chance of hauling himself up the order. After he didn’t pit following his crash, he lost his last lap time and will line up from 13th place.
The top six from WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:
1. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 1’42.650s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.094
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.353s
4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.540s
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.792s
Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) won’t take any further part on Saturday at the Pirelli Dutch Round following his Free Practice 3 tumble at the TT Circuit Assen. The #7 crashed on the entry to Turn 16 and was initially taken to the medical centre for a check-up before he was re-assessed before the Tissot Superpole session after he suffered from a right knee contusion. Following his reassessment, Lecuona was declared unfit for Saturday’s action with knee pain and functional impairment on his right knee. His participation for Sunday will be determined ahead of tomorrow’s Warm Up session.
The 2024 season has proven tricky so far for Lecuona and Honda. The one-time podium finisher missed the Australian Round through injury after a crash in the pre-round Official Test, although he was back for Round 2 in Barcelona. He has a best result of 13th this season – in Race 1 at the second round – but did not score points in the Tissot Superpole Race or Race 2 on home soil, after he was taken out by Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) in the latter.
More rain greeted the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field at the TT Circuit Assen for Free Practice 3 and it was Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who mastered the conditions to finish a second clear of his rivals. After Friday’s mixed conditions, everyone wanted to be on track with a fully wet circuit and ensure they were prepared for all potential conditions for the Tissot Superpole session and racing at the Pirelli Dutch Round.
With the track fully wet when the green flags waved, there was a rush to get out on track in conditions which appeared to be more consistent compared to yesterday’s mixed bag. Times were in the 1’53s bracket in the first laps, until Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) posted a 1’52.523s to go 0.755s quicker than compatriot Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in second. However, as riders adjusted to the conditions, everyone was able to find time.
More than eight seconds were found between the start and end of the 20-minute session, which in the end was topped by Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) as he ended the session with a 1’44.274s, finishing over a second clear of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in second after he posted a 1’45.749s, with teammate Axel Bassani in third after a strong session in the wet on his ZX-10RR.
Home hero Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a great session as he took fourth place and finished as the lead BMW rider, with reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claiming fifth place but almost two seconds down on his teammate. Britain’s Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) completed the top six as he took advantage of perhaps some familiar conditions to run in the top positions.
Independent Ducati rider Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) is having a good weekend and that continued with seventh in FP3, finishing a tenth ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in eighth who found gains in latter stages of the 20-minute session. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) led at times throughout FP3 but was demoted to ninth as the session concluded, while Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) completed the top ten.
There were two crashes in the session. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) had a lowside crash at the high-speed Turn 12, but he was able to re-mount his bike and return it to the pits. After work on it by the mechanics, he returned to the track and finished P15. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) had a crash at Turn 16 right at the end of the session, with the #7 taken to the medical centre for a check-up following his crash.
Originally built more than a century ago, Seven Bridges Road parallels and crosses Amity Creek, which cascades down a series of waterfalls for 400 vertical feet. This road was a highlight of this Minnesota motorcycle ride.
A couple summers ago, I flew to Minneapolis for a CFMOTO press launch and to visit our parent company’s home office. When CFMOTO gave me the key to a 650 ADVentura and let me loose for a day, I made a beeline north to Duluth to pay a visit to my friend Andy Goldfine and tour the Aerostich factory and store.
It was a hot, muggy morning when I left the hotel in a northern suburb of Minneapolis and made my way to Interstate 35. The 160-mile ride to Duluth took a little over two hours, and along the way, being in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, I passed countless billboards for fishing boats, fishing lakes, fish camps, and marinas. I also caught the edges of two rainstorms, which cooled me off in my mesh jacket and riding jeans. But as I-35 descended a steep hill toward downtown Duluth, the temperature dropped into the mid‑50s due to the cooling effect of Lake Superior. By the time I pulled into Aerostich’s parking lot, my teeth were chattering.
Skyline Parkway provides unparalleled views of downtown Duluth and Lake Superior.
Andy Goldfine has visited the Rider offices several times over the years, but I’d never been to the Aerostich factory before, so to get a personal tour by none other than Mr. Subjective himself was a real honor. After seeing the factory, Andy gave me the nickel tour of Duluth, and we had lunch at a cozy Italian eatery called Va Bene, where I warmed up with meatball soup and coffee.
Before we parted, Andy took pity on me for being cold and gave me an Aerostich waterproof/windproof innershell to wear under my mesh jacket. He also suggested I check out Skyline Parkway, a scenic byway that runs several hundred feet above downtown Duluth and provides excellent views of the city and Lake Superior.
The series of stone arch bridges along Seven Bridges Road are a delight to behold.
I rode north along the lakeshore to Lester Park, where the Parkway begins on Occidental Boulevard as it goes due north along Amity Creek, ascending 400 feet as it follows and crosses a long cascade of waterfalls. In less than half a mile, the road crosses the creek, and its name becomes Seven Bridges Road. (The Steve Young song “Seven Bridges Road,” which was later covered by the Eagles and Dolly Parton, is about a street in Montgomery, Alabama.) Incidentally, the first bridge on Seven Bridges Road isn’t one of the eponymous seven; it’s designated “Bridge 0.”
Originally built more than a century ago, Seven Bridges Road parallels and crosses Amity Creek, which cascades down a series of waterfalls for 400 vertical feet.
Construction of Skyline Parkway began in 1889 along a plateau that was once the gravel shoreline of an ancient glacial lake that predates Lake Superior. Ten years later, a local land developer named Samuel F. Snively began construction of Seven Bridges Road. The original bridges were built in the early 1900s, but nearly all have been rebuilt in the past few decades, and each of the stone arch bridges is a work of civil engineering art.
The northern part of Skyline Parkway is a gravel road that passes through the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. The wooden platform behind the sign is a bird observatory.
At the end of Seven Bridges Road, the Parkway takes a sharp left and turns to gravel as it enters the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. Several hiking trails branch off from the road, and the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory is a popular place to watch raptor migrations.
The Parkway turns to pavement again as it meanders through a residential area. Riders must stay vigilant for the Parkway signs since several turns are required to stay on course. After crossing Chester Creek, the Parkway continues to wind through neighborhoods. Soon the houses on the lakeside of the road disappear, and riders are treated to expansive views of Lake Superior, downtown Duluth, and just across Saint Louis Bay, the neighboring city of Superior, Wisconsin.
The Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve is a wooded area crisscrossed with trails.
After passing Twin Ponds, Skyline Parkway runs along the edge of a golf course, goes over U.S. Route 53, and crosses several creeks before passing through wooded parkland. The scenery and views are pleasant the entire way. I jumped off the Parkway when it crossed I-35 to get back to Minneapolis, but it continues on the south side of the freeway, winding through the Magney‑Snively Natural Area before ending at Becks Road.
Overlooking downtown Duluth, the harbor, and – in the distance – Superior, Wisconsin.
If you plan to visit the Aerostich factory or will pass through Duluth during a Lake Superior Circle Tour or other Minnesota motorcycle ride, I highly recommend adding Skyline Parkway to your itinerary. Due to the icy winters in Duluth, parts of the Skyline Parkway are closed seasonally, so plan accordingly.
Brazilian rookie Mario Salles took his first pole position in the R3 bLU cRU World Cup on Friday at the TT Circuit Assen despite a crash and extremely difficult track conditions.
FP was held in torrential rain for the 16 competitors, but all came through the session without issues or crashes. The Brazilian duo of Salles and Eduardo Burr proved their wet weather pace with by finishing the session first and second ahead of Japan’s Shoma Yamane in third. Dutch rider Indi Schunselaar enjoyed a good first outing at home, taking sixth.
Full wets were on for the afternoon’s Superpole and the Brazilians were ready to go. Salles had a dramatic start to his session when he crashed at Turn 9, he then continued the session with no clutch lever and managed to set the fastest time, earning his first pole position just ahead of his compatriot Burr. Australia’s Cameron Swain put in a great performance and came very close to beating Burr, finishing just +0.008 behind in third. Barcelona podium sitters Dawid Nowak and Gonzalo Sanchez both suffered crashes towards the end of the session but were declared fit for tomorrow’s Race 1.
Home rider Schunselaar will start from ninth.
Race 1 and Race 2 will take place at 11:50 CET on Saturday and Sunday respectively, and you can watch all the action LIVE right here
Mario Salles said: “I felt really good at the start of the session but on the second lap I ended up falling and my clutch lever broke. I went into the pits but there was nothing I could do and not much time, so I decided to go for it. I put my faith in the fast lap and did my best and I’m very happy to achieve my first pole in the R3 World Cup. I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow, rain or shine!”
After a thrilling Tissot Superpole for the FIM Supersport World Championship, Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) will line up in pole position for Race 1 at his team’s home weekend. The Italian set a blisteringly quick time in the early stages of the session, which would prove crucial – ending the session almost one second quicker than any other rider. The heavens would open with 20 minutes remaining on the clock, taking away the chance for anyone to challenge for pole.
HOME TEAM: Ten Kate one-two on the front row
Manzi was in the pits for the closing stages of the session, with a comfortable gap ahead of teammate Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing), and ended Superpole in second, adding to Ten Kate Racing’s delight – securing a one-two at the Pirelli Dutch Round. The Yamaha duo will be joined on the front row by Championship contender Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team), who was just 1.048s slower than the benchmark set by the #62.
IMPROVING LATE: Tuuli finds time in the wet
Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) heads the second row of the grid in fourth, ending Superpole as the top MV Agusta. Behind the German was Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team), who remarkably improved on his final lap of the session in wet conditions. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) rounds out the second row of the grid, securing the Italian’s best Superpole result of the year.
TALENT PACKED: A competitive third row of the grid
Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) ends Superpole in seventh, with the Turkish rider making it two MV Agustas inside the top 10. The #54 was ahead of Britain’s Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph), who ended the tricky session in mixed conditions with a 1:48.608, placing Booth-Amos in eighth. Twan Smits (Team Apreco) was ninth in a remarkable result for the 22-year-old, ending the session ahead of Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team), who rounded out a frantic and talent-packed top 10.
BIG NAMES: Some key contenders will start further down the field
The rain mid-session caught many riders out, including Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), who was outside the top 20 for the majority of the session, including the closing stages, when the Italian managed to salvage 11th on the grid. Further down and last on the grid will be Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), with the Turkish rider crashing his Kawasaki on is first flying lap – putting an end to his session with no time on the board.
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