MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

Nicolo Bulega has rectified a bad Race 1 on Saturday by taking a sound victory at Magny-Cours in the Superpole race. The Aruba.it Ducati rider got away at the start but had the Kawasaki of Alex Lowes on his tail throughout. Lowes made Bulega's life hard throughout the 10-lap race, keeping his front wheel glued to the rear of Bulega's Ducati. 

He had a lunge at the hairpin with two laps to go, but couldn't quite get the bike stopped and ended up on the dirty part of the track, losing too much ground to Bulega to give himself a second shot. Lowes held on to cross the line right behind the Aruba.it Ducati.

Danilo Petrucci took third at the head of fierce battle over the final podium spot. Petrucci sat in the middle of a group containing Scott Redding, Michael van der Mark, Xavi Vierge, Iker Lecuona, and Garrett Gerloff, but took over third with two laps to go and did not relinquish the position. Petrucci had been investigated for a touch with Andrea Locatelli, but that was ruled a racing incident.

Bulega takes back an important 12 points on championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu. The BMW rider suffered a very heavy crash during practice, striking his head on a barrier, but from which he miraculously walked away with only bruised lungs and chest. Jonathan Rea was also missing, injuring a finger in a crash in Race 1, and requiring surgery.

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