It’s been a long time since an MV Agusta won a world championship race. The Italian marque’s last win came in 1976 at Germany’s Nurburgring when the legendary Giacomo Agostini rode to victory. Last weekend Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich Motorsport) brought the 38-year drought to an end at Phillip Island, Australia.
The Frenchman finished first in a World Supersport race WorldSBK.com described as “unpredictable.” After a red flag and restart, frontrunners Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki) and Michael van Der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport) crashed during the second lap of a five-lap sprint finish. A back and forth five-way battle ensued, with Cluzel narrowly edging Kev Coghlan (DMC Panavto-Yamaha) for the win. Core PTR Honda rider Rafaelle De Rosa rounded out the top three.
After his victory Cluzel commented: “We were terribly unlucky both during testing and at the start of the weekend. We rode far fewer laps than we should have. After that, going on to win was just a dream! Before the start I told my mechanics I’d do my utmost, and that’s exactly what I did, without making a single mistake. It’s a deserved victory. We’ve still got a long way to go but we’re convinced that the bike and the team have huge potential.”
