Troy Bayliss has signed off his World Superbike career in the best way possible after completing a double victory in his final races at Portimao.
A 52nd career win to conclude a third title winning season, Bayliss could not have ended his career in a more comprehensive manner, claiming pole position and leading all but one lap throughout the day.
Although similarly dominant as his first race win, Bayliss very nearly came unstuck in the opening stages but when he snatched the lead at the start of lap two, there was no stopping him from claiming one last emotional Superbike triumph.
Getting away well from pole position, Bayliss was rather more cautious into the first turn, allowing Max Biaggi and Jonathan Rea to swallow him up through the tight opening bend.
Forcing him wide as the field shuffled through, Bayliss was briefly on the edge but managed to gather it back in time to see Biaggi lead ever so briefly before Rea dived up the inside and pushed both of them off-line.
Although Rea recovered to stay in front, he was soon edged out by the fast-starting
Ruben Xaus, who eventually managed to work his way to the front as he rounded the first lap.
However, the Spaniard had barely any time to enjoy being up front for the first time since his Misano win as Bayliss, recovering from his tardy first few corners, simply nudged into his slipstream and swept through into the lead.
Bayliss was followed by Rea, with Xaus down to third suddenly, while
Troy Corser, Leon Haslam,
Noriyuki Haga, Cal Crutchlow,
Carlos Checa and the delayed Biaggi followed.
With the knowledge that the rest of the field had now adopted a firmer rear tyre for this race, Bayliss wasted no time in trying to establish a gap, an endeavour that was helped by Xaus, Rea, Corser and now Haga's feud just behind.
Rea took himself out of the podium equation on lap four when he made a failed attempt to punish a small mistake by Xaus, the Ten Kate Honda rider having to sit up and allow the two Yamahas through instead.
