Sportbike Most Race 2: Antonio Torres beats Bruno Ieraci

Antonio Torres edges out Bruno Ieraci in World Sportbike Race 2 at Most: second win of the season, first podium for Triumph.

The top four covered by 0.7 seconds at the end of 12 flat-out laps. Round after round, the World Sportbike Championship shows a substantial balance with a pleasant rotation of protagonists and manufacturers at the top of the standings. In Race 2 at the Autodrom Most, Antonio Torres became the first rider with two wins to his name, holding off a charging Bruno Ieraci at the finish with David Salvador completing the podium at the expense of Matteo Vannucci.

Winner of the first, historic World Sportbike race at Portimão, Antonio Torres made it two at Most. In his second consecutive season with Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI, the Spanish rider made his move in the second half of the contest. Once he found himself in the lead on lap seven, Torres soon engaged in a thrilling duel with Bruno Ieraci and teammate David Salvador, claiming the top step of the podium by just 126 thousandths at the line.

With David Salvador further extending his championship lead, aided by the simultaneous retirement of Jeffrey Buis—caught up with four other riders in an unfortunate pileup at the start—our own Bruno Ieraci (CM Triumph Factory Racing) split the ProDina Kawasaki XCI duo with full merit and authority. Launching from pole position thanks to the fastest lap set in Race 1, the reigning Italian champion of the class fought like a lion, delivering Triumph’s first podium in the World Sportbike Championship. Nothing doing for Race 1 winner Matteo Vannucci, ruled out of the fight for victory after a mistake.

Benefitting from the last-lap tangle between Kas Beekmans and Xavi Artigas, Matteo Vannucci finished fourth, followed by Carter Thompson, who impressed despite a double Long Lap Penalty. The BrCorse Yamaha standard-bearer got the better of Harrison Dessoy and Felix Mulya in the scrap for fifth place. As for the Italians, in addition to Ieraci and Vannucci, note the points finishes for Thomas Benetti (14th), preceded by one position by Mirko Gennai (in the home race for the Panattoni BGR Smrz Racing Yamaha team). The next World Sportbike round is scheduled from May 29 to 31 at MotorLand Aragon.