Jonathan Rea claims victory in Assen

Championship leader Jonathan Rea recorded his third win of the 2018 Superbike World Championship with victory in the opening race in the Motul Dutch Round in Assen.

The three-times defending champion (Kawasaki) extended his lead at the top of the standings to 21 points after starting second on the grid to seal his eighth consecutive triumph here.

The Northern Irishman battled for position and eventually finished ahead of second-placed Dutch hero Michael van der Mark (Yamaha) on his home leg with fellow Brit Chaz Davies (Ducati) completing the podium.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) crossed the line just behind the front three as he looked for his first podium finish since the Phillip Park opener in February.

Xavi Fores claimed fifth, while Marco Melandri finished sixth and Frenchman Loriz Baz came home seventh.

Argentina’s Leandro Mercado was next to cross the line as Jordi Torres and Toprak Razgatlioglu rounded off the top 10.

Alex Lowes (Yamaha) had earlier claimed his first Superpole in the championship after five years of competing – as he piped Rea to top spot on the grid – but finished 12th.