Up front, Bayliss was serene, the bunfight behind allowing him to pull away as Corser, Checa, Neukirchner and the rest passed and repassed each other in typical Phillip Island style. There was no clear advantage to those behind Bayliss as a pass put riders offline, allowing rivals to re-pass again, classic Superbike racing.
Coming into the equation, however, was Max Biaggi on the Sterilgarda Ducati. The Roman had made a steady start from his enforced 16th on the grid, but was now picking his way through the pack in methodical style, without the forceful moves he had used in Qatar.
Half distance and Bayliss was counting down the laps to his 43rd series win, with only Biaggi, who was now second after forceful moves past Corser and Checa, looking able to catch the Australian. Biaggi's lap times were the quicker of the leading pair and he was racing away from the battle for third.
That battle was ebbing and flowing like the tide around the island as Corser, Checa, Neukirchner and the fast recovering Fabrizio led a group squabbling over the final podium spot.
It was Bayliss' team-mate who looked the quickest of this group, forcing Corser to sit up in the MG hairpin, but the move didn't work well as both riders went wide, letting Neukirchner through as the marauding pack of six continued to jump on mistakes made by each other.
Biaggi's team-mate,
Ruben Xaus, left it late to make his move and was capitalising on the fighting in the pack to get past as his rivals made errors. He was up to third with nine laps to go and looking strong.
Then, the shock of the race, as Biaggi was off the Sterilgarda Ducati. Pushing hard in the belief that he could actually catch Bayliss, he seemingly lost the front end at MG and was seething as he walked back to the pit.
