Davies Edged Out In Dramatic Superbikes Battle Down Under

Chaz Davies came agonisingly close to a sensational victory in the World Superbikes season opener in Australia on Saturday.

The Powys flier lost out on a 10th career win by just 0.063secs to defending champion Jonathan Rea after a last lap battle with the Ulsterman.

Davies had seized the lead a few corners from the finish on the Phillip Island track, but Rea’s dramatic move two corners from the finish saw him grab the win.

The duo had come perilously close to his Ducati colliding on the circuit near Melbourne with his rival’s Kawasaki before last season’s championship runner-up had to accept second spot.

Davies, 29, said: “The ball can bounce either way. There’s not a lot I could have done different.

“I could have passed him in a different spot and tried to hold him off until the line but we’ll have a think about it and see what we can do different.

“Me and Johnny had a little gap and it could have gone either way quite easily. I was happy with how I rode but we need to think of a better plan for the last lap. There were many options but I chose this one because it was the closest to the finish line.

“I was really confident that I could pass him and win the race here. In the end he changed his line a little over Lukey Heights to defend a little bit.

“Nothing crazy but in the end it forced me to go inside. That forced me to go too wide. It gave him the opportunity for him to pass me back.”

But second place is a good start for the title campaign for Davies who will be looking to exact revenge in Sunday’s second race.

“We’ll digest what was good and what was bad. I think we can change not so much, because I was happy with the bike.”

Relieved Rea, 29, said: “I knew the only way to win the race was to close the door, but Chaz blew it completely wide open!

“I managed to stop the bike and fire it out. It was not a very pretty last sector but we won the race and have 25 points. I am really happy because all our winter work paid off.”

Honda’s Michael van der Mark took third with Rea’s Kawasaki team-mate and 2013 champ Tom Sykes from Huddersfield finishing fifth after starting on pole.