1. Noriyuki Haga JPN Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 18 laps 2. Max Neukirchner GER Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +0.009 secs 3. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +0.051 secs
A stunning first sector saw Bayliss pull half a second over the previous fastest rider, Hannspree Ten Kate's Carlos Checa, before increasing his advantage to 0.7secs through the middle of the lap and then 0.835secs over the Spaniard by the flag.
Race two at Assen proved to be harder fought up front between Haga and Bayliss but further back the battles were a little less fraught than in race one.
Making mistakes seemed to be the order of the day for many riders at Assen in the first Superbike race as most of the top men had one moment or another in the Dutch sunshine.
Bayliss is hugely keen on cycling and is well known for doing many miles on his pushbike to train and keep fit in and around Monte Carlo where he lives.
Troy Bayliss may not have won a race at Valencia on Sunday, but the Australian still increased his 2008 World Superbike Championship lead from 27 to 48 points - helped partly by the last turn clash between race leaders Max Neukirchner and Carlos Checa.
1. Noriyuki Haga JPN Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 23 laps 2. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Xerox 1098 F08 +1.551 3. Carlos Checa SPA Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +2.903
Carlos Checa made a last-gasp attempt to pass Max Neukirchner for victory at the final turn, but fell - bringing Neukirchner down with him and handing Lorenzo Lanzi victory!
1. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati 1098 F08 18 laps 2. Max Biaggi ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati 1098 RS 08 +0.396secs 3. Troy Corser AUS Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 +1.878secs
Former double world champions Troy Corser and Troy Bayliss proved to be the men to beat in the opening qualifying session of the 2008 World Superbike season in Qatar, as they dominated a wind-affected first qualifying to leave their rivals wilting under the desert sun.
The bike was unveiled during an official presentation at Jerez. Bayliss was absent from the event as he continues to recuperate from a fractured collarbone - but the Australian will return to the track at the next test session, to be held at Qatar on February 12.
The list reveals that there will be six of the new 1200cc Ducati 1098Rs on the grid this year, with single-rider entries for former factory pliot Lorenzo Lanzi (R.G.Team) and Czech Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Racing) adding to the two-rider Xerox and Sterilgarda line-ups.
The Ducati Xerox rider's pre-season preparations have been thrown into turmoil after he fell while attempting to overtake PSG-1 Kawasaki rider Regis Laconi, during Thursday afternoon.
The big story at the start of the 2007 World Superbike season was the debut of former MotoGP star Max Biaggi who, after a season on the sidelines, was returning to world championship racing with Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra.
Ducati has revealed that they will allow Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss to choose between the 2004 spec Desmosedici GP4 and a modified GP3 model at the Bologna based company's home event; this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Troy Bayliss endured by far his worst qualifying session as a MotoGP rider today at Welkom, the Australian being left second from last on his factory Ducati.
The final laps by a MotoGP rider in 2003 ended today at Valencia with Troy Bayliss edging out Sete Gibernau at the top of the times - but Max Biaggi still claimed the honour of being quickest overall from the three-day outing.
The Ducati Marlboro Team have released the following statement regarding the condition of Troy Bayliss, who was briefly knocked out after tangling with Marco Melandri whilst battling for the lead in Sunday's Australian Grand Prix:
Former World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss went to Rio three weeks ago as a father of two children, this week he comes to Motegi as a father of three! Wife Kim gave birth to the couple's third child - a baby boy named Oliver - in Monaco during the Rio GP weekend.