DOHA: Australian rider Alex Cudlin used all his experience of riding under lights at Losail International Circuit to win the first race of the second round of the Qatar Superbike Championship.
Cudlin, riding a Kawasaki, finished the 15-lap race ahead of Qatari duo of Mashel Al Naimi and Nasser Al Malki after a tough battle.
The Australian clocked a time of 30 minutes 54.616 seconds to nail his impressive win, just 0.232 seconds ahead of Al Naimi.
Riding a Honda, Al Naimi finished 15.517 seconds ahead of Al Malki.
India’s Rajini Krishnan - riding a Kawasaki - finished in fourth spot 18.706 seconds adrift of Cudlin.
Germany’s Nina Prinz - a regular participant at Losail Circuit events - finished in fifth spot with a time of 31’13.599. Cudlin, who grabbed the pole position on Friday, took the lead during the first few laps until Al Naimi overtook the Australian in the fifth lap.
However, moments later Cudlin regained the top spot and never let go off the lead.
“I am very happy with the race,” Cudlin said later.
“There was a big fight with Mishal. I think Mishal had a plan to be behind until the very last lap and maybe go past me on the final straight,” the Australian rider added.
“But for some reason, I knew he was going to do this but I think he made it one lap earlier and when this happened, the whole plan changed and I had to make a pass directly to hold him off,” Cudlin added.
“He came really close and we almost touched as he passed me but at the end I made an aggressive pass enough to win. This (rivalry) is perfect for the championship,” Cudlin said after his win.
Al Naimi echoed Cudlin’s sentiments, saying his enjoyed the battle. “’The race was incredible I was fighting with Alex all the way,” Al Naimi said.
“I tried to pass him after five laps but I felt that if I push too much hard, the bike I will destroy the tires as I don’t have electronic system in my bike and it is difficult to ride like this,” the veteran Qatari rider said.
“I tried to manage in the last lap. I passed him but there were many overtakes in the last lap. Overall there was a good fight.
“I like it but I struggle a lot in the long left corners. Also (there were) many slow riders who slowed us but we’ll see (what happens) in the second race,” Al Naimi said.
In race one of the Qatar Supersport Championship, Saudi rider Abdul Aziz Bin Ladin topped the 15-lap race with a time of 32’15.289.
Qatar’s Fahid Al Sowaidi (Honda) finished in second spot 3.835 seconds adrift of Bin Ladin.
The third place was secured by Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed Al Muyini on a Yahama.
Al Muyini was 54.405 seconds slower than Bin Ladin.
In the Women’s Cup, Hungarian rider Victoria Kis ended in fourth spot overall position and first in her category.
“I am really happy with this win. I am very excited that I have claimed the fourth position in the overall race,” Kis said.
“The battle was amazing for the fourth position and many thanks to QMMF for the support,” Kis, who was riding a Yamaha, added.
Libya’s Mahmoud Tannir (Honda) finished in fifth spot in the 22-rider class.
THE PENINSULA
