In the first 24-lap encounter the Ducati Xerox rider charged to a commanding early lead until tyre problems saw him passed by Yamaha star Haga, Suzuki's Max Biaggi and the second factory R1 of
Troy Corser by the finish.
The second race followed a similar pattern as Haga again caught and passed Bayliss to take the lead on lap 14, but this time Bayliss was using a harder front tyre and - after some typically close racing - was able to re-pass his Japanese rival on lap 20 to take the chequered flag for his fortieth World Superbike win.
"These wins are hard to get but when you do take one they are very enjoyable, so I'm very happy with that second race today" declared Bayliss. "I've been racing against Nori since year 2000 and we've had some great battles over the past, they've all been very memorable. Sometimes he takes the win or I do but I love having a dice with Nori. Honestly there wasn't much difference between the bikes in the two races, sometimes you have a problem and it goes like that. We weren't happy with the first race and you could tell the difference in the second race because the bike was better to ride. It did look like the same was going to happen as I opened out a lead of 2 and a half seconds, and I did wonder that but it didn't and I could push the whole race. I did make one mistake and that allowed Nori to come past. I was on the limit trying to gap Nori and it wasn't easy. It was nice to have my electronics engineer Alessandra on the podium with me, she does all the stuff with the computer and she did a great job as always!"
Bayliss has now closed to within 26 points of third in the championship Biaggi with two rounds to go.
Meanwhile, Bayliss' team-mate
Lorenzo Lanzi scored a couple of disappointing results at a circuit where he won in 2005, with the only really positive moment being when he overtook championship leader
James Toseland for eighth on the final lap of the first race.
