Giugliano rises to the top in opening day

Misano (Italy) - After topping FP1 earlier today, Italian Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) was displaced at the top of the combined standings by compatriot Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) and reigning champion Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team).

A red flag after the MV Agusta of Michael Savary (Dream Team Company MV Agusta) caught fire saw a stoppage in events on track with the session being stopped almost immediately for a second time after the Team Hero EBR machine of Aaron Yates stopped on track with what looked like an engine problem.

When the final ten minutes eventually ran to completion a number of riders posted personal best laps, the Ducati pairing of Davide Giugliano and Chaz Davies elevated themselves into contention with the Brit eventually having to settle for 4th behind Melandri, who remained in 3rd.

Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) was 5th ahead of the impressive Voltcom Crescent Suzuki of Alex Lowes. The Brit has only raced at Misano before in STK600 and STK1000.

The remaining riders in the top ten and therefore currently making it into Superpole 1 are Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia).

As in FP1, Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati) was the best of the EVO riders in 12th overall.

Times: 1. Giugliano (Ducati) 1'36.370 average 157.867 kph; 2. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1'36.497; 3. Melandri (Aprilia) 1'36.500; 4. Davies (Ducati) 1'36.636; 5. Baz (Kawasaki) 1'36.661; 6. Lowes (Suzuki) 1'36.698; 7. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1'36.860; 8. Rea (Honda) 1'37.024; 9. Laverty (Suzuki) 1'37.149; 10. Elias (Aprilia) 1'37.234; 11. Haslam (Honda) 1'37.352; 12. Canepa (Ducati) 1'37.931; 13. Badovini (Bimota) 1'38.241; 14. Corti (MV Agusta) 1'38.393; 15. Salom (Kawasaki) 1'38.664; 16. Foret (Kawasaki) 1'38.709; 17. Morais (Kawasaki) 1'38.712; 18. Baiocco (Ducati) 1'38.717; 19. Goi (Ducati) 1'38.762; 20. Barrier (BMW) 1'39.081; 21. Iddon (Bimota) 1'39.214; 22. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1'39.215; 23. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1'39.435; 24. Staring (Kawasaki) 1'39.635; 25. Russo (Kawasaki) 1'39.729; 26. Toth (BMW) 1'40.239; 27. Sebestyen (BMW) 1'41.777; 28. Yates (EBR) 1'42.162; 29. May (EBR) 1'42.634; 30. Savary (MV Agusta) 1'43.187.