Bayliss' decisive move finally came on the penultimate lap, albeit at a somewhat surprising place. Seemingly getting a better run out of the 180 hairpin, Bayliss tailed Haga up to the high-speed Imola chicane and dived through as they dipped into the apex. Getting the crowd up to their feet, Haga attempted to respond but Bayliss had him covered and was simply able to enjoy the final lap of his ninth race win this year.

Also bringing his victory tally up to an unprecedented 50 victories, Bayliss was thrilled to prevail in what could be his final direct head-to-head with Haga before he retires and hands his bike over to his rival.

Corser kept a watching brief to finish third, although the weekend has seen him lose his provisional runners-up spot to team-mate Haga now.

Elsewhere, having looked as though he could be a factor mid-way through the race, Checa faded again, even if he was nonetheless still able to hold onto fourth place.

Ruben Xaus recovered from a dismal first race to record his best finish since victory at Misano back in June, the Spaniard resisting the attentions of Sterilgarda team-mate Max Biaggi to the finish line. The Italian had spent much of the race in the chasing pack before breaking free in the latter stages, although he wasn't quite able to do anything about Xaus.

Yukio Kagayama got the better of his Suzuki team-mates to finish a solid seventh, the Japanese rider taking advantage as race one podium sitter Fonsi Nieto and Max Neukirchner perplexingly slid down the order. The trio would eventually finish seventh, eighth and ninth.

After the disappointment of retiring from the first race, Roberto Rolfo was able to put his good grid position to better use in race two, the Italian battling hard with the front runners early on before eventually finishing tenth.

Lorenzo Lanzi was a quiet 11th, ahead of Gregorio Lavilla and Jakub Smrz, the privateer riders having been able to get the better of Michel Fabrizio, who ran as high as seventh early on before dropping back down the field at an alarming rate. His retirement in the first race means he scores just two points this weekend.

As was the case in the first race, Chris Walker grabbed the 15th and final point on the Paul Bird Motorsport Honda.