Max Biaggi cruised to a timely double victory around his home circuit and extended his advantage to 38.5 points at round seven of the World Superbike Championships in Misano, Italy, overnight.

While few would have predicted Biaggi would come away with a World Superbike double victory from tenth position on the grid at Misano, the former champion once again showed his rivals that there can be no substitute for race pace regardless of where he starts.

The Italian came into race day having maintained a fairly low profile during free practice and provisional qualifying, Biaggi admitting afterwards that he had adopted a conservative strategy in an effort to find an optimum race tyre.

As such, Aprilia rider Biaggi quickly established himself in both races, scything his way to the front pack mid-way through the opening race before pouncing for the lead with three laps remaining.

Eyeing a repeat performance in race two, Biaggi actually enjoyed a simpler route to the front after a strong start lifted him to third on the opening lap, progress that would take him into the lead by lap four.

Proof once more than Biaggi is still a reckoned force from lowly positions, as he demonstrated at Phillip Island earlier this season, the wins mean his overall lead in the standings has increased from 18 points to 38.5 points.

“It was an amazing weekend,” he said. “After Superpole which forced me to start from the third row, as we able to stay focused and express myself well during the race. After the test sessions I chose a tyre which wasn’t the fastest as far as lap times go, but the one that gave me more confidence.

“In any case I had to take some risks because there are very few places to overtake here, but in the end I was successful and I’m leaving Misano with an incredible double win.”

Meanwhile, Britain’s Jonathan Rea sits second in the championship for the first time in his career after delivering a ‘perfect’ run to the podium for the fourth time this season at Misano.

The Ulsterman had looked in close contention for victory in the opening race having assumed the early lead from second on the grid, but while he held out front for 17 of the 24 laps, a dramatic drop in tyre wear would see him slip to fifth at the chequered flag.

Nonetheless, Rea struck back in race two, settling into second position from lap nine and proceeding to repel the persistent attentions of Leon Haslam for the following 15 laps.

Describing it as a ‘perfect race’ in the circumstances, the Honda rider was delighted to be one of only two riders to secure two top five finishes around the Rimini venue.

Misano results:

Race one:

1. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 38m 58.471s
2. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R +0.305s
3. Davide Giugliano ITA Althea Ducati 1098R +4.503s
4. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +8.858s
5. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda WSBK CBR1000RR +11.627s
6. Chaz Davies GBR ParkinGO MTC Aprilia RSV-4 +12.258s
7. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia Racing RSV-4 +12.551s
8. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +13.561s
9. Jakub Smrz CZE Liberty Effenbert Ducati 1098R +17.014s
10. Leon Camier GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki GSX-R1000 +18.361s
11. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia Goldbet S1000RR +20.029s
12. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +22.082s
13. Maxime Berger FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +22.966s
14. Michel Fabrizio ITA BMW Italia Goldbet S1000RR +27.014s
15. Matteo Baiocco ITA Barni Ducati 1098R +31.133s
16. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Honda WSBK CBR1000RR +31.719s
17. John Hopkins USA Crescent Fixi Suzuki GSX-R1000 +31.902s
18. Niccolo Canepa ITA Red Devils Ducati 1098R +43.770s
19. Leandro Mercado ARG Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +55.071s
20. Federico Sandi ITA Grillini Progea BMW S1000RR +6 laps

Not Classified

21. Marco Melandri ITA BMW Motorrad S1000RR 21 laps completed
22. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 13 laps completed
23. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 8 laps completed
24. Lorenzo Zanetti ITA PATA Ducati 1098R 6 laps completed

Race two:

1. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 39m 01.869s
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda  WSBK CBR1000RR +5.355s
3. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +5.731s
4. Marco Melandri ITA BMW Motorrad S1000RR +7.004s
5. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia Goldbet S1000RR +7.921s
6. Michel Fabrizio ITA BMW Italia Goldbet S1000RR +17.291s
7. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +17.351s
8. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +17.630s
9. Jakub Smrz CZE Liberty Effenbert Ducati 1098R +18.211s
10. Matteo Baiocco ITA Barni Ducati 1098R +28.131s
11. Maxime Berger FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +28.407s
12. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Honda WSBK CBR1000RR +38.060s
13. Niccolo Canepa ITA Red Devils Ducati 1098R +49.003s
14. John Hopkins USA Crescent Fixi Suzuki GSX-R1000 +51.881s
15. Leon Camier GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki GSX-R1000 +55.502s
16. Leandro Mercado ARG Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1m 06.361s
17. Federico Sandi ITA Grillini Progea BMW S1000RR +1m 29.918s

Not Classified

18. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia Racing RSV-4 19 laps completed
19. Chaz Davies GBR ParkinGO MTC Aprilia RSV-4 15 laps completed
20. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 7 laps completed
21. Davide Giugliano ITA Althea Ducati 1098R 5 laps completed
22. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R 3 laps completed
23. Lorenzo Zanetti ITA PATA Ducati 1098R 2 laps completed
24. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R 1 lap completed.

Leading world championships standings after seven of 14 rounds:

1. Max Biaggi Aprilia Racing 210

2. Jonathan Rea Honda WSBK 172

3. Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing 165

4. Marco Melandri BMW Motorrad 156

5. Carlos Checa Althea Ducati 151

6. Leon Haslam BMW Motorrad 123

7. Sylvain Guintoli Effenbert Liberty Ducati 103

8. Eugene Laverty Aprilia Racing 95

9. Davide Giugliano Althea Ducati 80

10. Jakub Smrz Liberty Effenbert Ducati 76

11. Michel Fabrizio BMW Italia GoldBet 58

12. Ayrton Badovini BMW Italia GoldBet 50

13= Chaz Davies ParkinGO MTC Aprilia 50

13= Leon Camier FIXI Crescent Suzuki 50

15. Maxime Berger Effenbert Liberty Ducati 39

16. Hiroshi Aoyama Honda WSBK 35

17. Niccolò Canepa Red Devils Roma Ducati 28

18. Lorenzo Zanetti PATA Ducati 25

19. Loris Baz Kawasaki Racin 19

20. Joan Lascorz Kawasaki Racing 17