Melandri claims pole position in Argentina

Marco Melandri claimed pole position for the Argentinian round of the Superbike World Championship after setting the two fastest superpole laps at the Circuito San Juan Villicum.

The Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider was quickest at the first ever event at the new circuit as he was nearly half a second faster than Kawasaki Racing’s Jonathan Rea, with Milwaukee Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty in third.

Northern Irishman Rea is bidding to make it 10 consecutive race wins after already securing his fourth world title in a row earlier this season.

But Italian Melandri will have other ideas after topping the timesheets over both Friday and Saturday.

Rea’s team-mate Tom Sykes was fourth fastest ahead of Xavi Fores on the Barni Racing Ducati and Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes.