Xaus' team-mate, Max Biaggi, had been just 16th fastest at the start of Superpole, but was at least able to salvage ninth on the grid after delivering his best lap of the weekend by 0.8secs during Superpole.
Starting between Xaus and Biaggi will be
Fonsi Nieto (seventh) and
Ryuichi Kiyonari (eighth). Checa and Kiyonari will be the only Ten Kate WSBK riders present on Sunday after
Kenan Sofuoglu, eighth fastest in Friday qualifying, withdrew from the event following the death of his brother in Turkey.
Muggeridge produced a solid Superpole lap to claim tenth on the grid on his privateer DF Racing Honda, but there was disappointment for factory riders
Regis Laconi,
Troy Corser and
Michel Fabrizio.
Laconi had been second fastest for PSG-1 Kawasaki by the end of second qualifying, but managed only eleventh when circulating on his own in Superpole, while Corser - traditionally a Superpole specialist - had a miserable run, lapping over 1.5secs slower than Bayliss and failing to match his previous best lap. The Yamaha Italia star will start twelfth.
Bayliss' team-mate Fabrizio had almost equalled Troy's pace heading into Superpole, but will start his home race from just 13th after a ragged Superpole lap.
Makoto Tamada (PSG-1 Kawasaki), Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Ducati) and Gregorio Lavilla (Ventaxia VK Honda) complete the Superpole order.
Superpole:
1. Bayliss
2. Neukirchner
3. Haga
4. Checa
5. Kagayama
6. Xaus
7. Nieto
8. Kiyonari
9. Biaggi
10. Muggeridge
11. Laconi
12. Corser
13. Fabrizio
14. Tamada
15. Smrz
16. Lavilla
