Supersport Misano: Chinese rider storms to victory in Race 1; ZXMoto make it five

Make way for the Chinese: the ZXMoto, perfectly ridden by the Frenchman Valentin Debise, won race 1 of the World Supersport at Misano. The duel with Albert Arenas’ Yamaha, the former Moto2 world champion, was spectacular: the verdict at the final corner was unequivocal.

This is the fifth win in thirteen races for the Chinese brand. The 820RR is not yet in Italian dealerships, but on its debut in the production-derived championship it’s flying, far beyond expectations. The designers of the Asian giant have produced a half masterpiece; the other half of the credit goes to Evan Bros, the Ravenna-based outfit that had the courage to take on a challenge that seemed full of obstacles. In ZXMoto’s plans, arrival was slated for 2027; bringing the debut forward was an additional gamble. Fortune favors the bold. This triumph on home soil is the sweetest recognition of all.

Albert Arenas immediately boxed in his brand-mate Can Oncu, who had taken pole. In the opening laps the pack stayed tight, then the former world champion upped the pace and stretched the group. Only Debise managed to hold the rhythm. On the final lap the Frenchman looked for a gap at Tramonto, but Arenas is no rookie and shut the door. However, he could do nothing at Curvone: the ZXMoto rocketed in with incredible momentum, Debise kept it pinned through the toughest corner and the decisive overtake was served on a platter. Arenas tried a desperate lunge at Misano, the final turn: he dove in, got ahead, but in the switchback of lines Valentin was clever and superbly precise.

Supersport thrilled us once again, and now the overall standings come back to life. Arenas had landed a strong blow at Aragon, but ZXMoto has closed back in. Every race will be a battle, starting with Misano’s rematch. The other two chasers, however, lose ground to the top. Can Oncu finished third, which in itself would be an excellent result, but the gap to the front is even bigger. Jaume Masia also loses ground; he had swiftly made up for his awkward starting spot (tenth on the grid), latching onto the group fighting for the final podium step. A misunderstanding with Tom Booth-Amos, however, cost him a brutal crash.

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