A delayed start to the second Assen race made no difference to the outcome, as Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi played a high-speed game of cat-and-mouse at round three of the Superbike World Championships at the weekend.

Biaggi looking to have it wrapped up as he passed long time leader Checa, only for the Spanish rider to reassert himself on the final lap and win his fourth race out of six so far this year.

A battle between Jonathan Rea and Marco Melandri ended when the Italian star fell, leaving Rea on the podium in third. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) was fourth, while a multiple rider fight for fifth went to Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), from Eugene Laverty, Michel Fabrizio, Noriyuki Haga, Jakub Smrz and Sylvain Guintoli.

In the points standings, Checa now leads by 132 to Biaggi’s 89. Melandri is third on 85, Rea jumping to fourth with his new total of 79 points.

Leading 2011 series standings:

Carlos Checa, Ducati 132

Max Biaggi, Aprilia 89

Marco Melandri, Yamaha 85

Jonathan Rea, Honda 79

Leon Haslam, BMW 68

Leon Camier, Aprilia 50

Jakub Smrz, Ducati 49

Michel Fabrizio, Suzuki 47

Eugene Laverty, Yamaha 35

Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia 34

Joan Lascorz, Kawasaki 26

Troy Corser, BMW 26

Tom Sykes, Kawasaki 26

Ruben Xaus, Honda 26

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