Rea crashes on lap one as Van der Mark takes win

Jonathan Rea collapsed retired connected nan first thigh of Saturday's opening World Superbike title of nan play astatine Magny-Cours, arsenic Michael van der Mark went connected to declare triumph connected a saturated way connected his BMW.

Rea and Italian Nicolo Bulega some fell disconnected astatine nan aforesaid area successful abstracted incidents successful damp conditions connected thigh one, earlier dense rainfall made conditions moreover much treacherous for nan remainder of nan title astatine nan French circuit.

The lead changed hands respective times arsenic nan riders came into nan pits to person afloat bedewed tyres fitted, pinch polesitter Alex Lowes hitting nan beforehand earlier he besides slipped disconnected successful nan greasy conditions pinch 11 laps to go.

That allowed Dutchman Van der Mark to presume a lead that he would clasp until nan extremity of nan race, to triumph from defending champion Alvaro Bautista and Danilo Petrucci.

Series leader Toprak Razgatlioglu had won nan erstwhile 13 races successful nan championship, a grounds sequence, but is incapable to compete this play aft being progressive successful a dense spill during believe connected Friday.

He was treated astatine nan aesculapian centre, wherever he was diagnosed pinch a backmost contusion and was subsequently declared unfit to title aft undergoing infirmary checks.

Van der Mark's separator of triumph astatine nan beforehand was 8.3 seconds, pinch Ducati-mounted Bautista having a further 16 seconds to spare complete Petrucci astatine nan chequered flag.

England's Scott Redding vanished fourth, up of Andrea Iannone and Xavi Vierge arsenic respective different riders fell disconnected connected nan soaked track.

Razgatlioglu leads nan standings connected 365 points, followed by Bulega connected 273, Bautista connected 243 and Lowes pinch 213.

Rea remains 10th wide pinch 86 points and conscionable 1 podium decorativeness to show for his efforts truthful acold this season, that coming successful nan Superpole title successful nan UK information astatine Donington successful July.

The latest Superpole title will beryllium staged connected Sunday astatine 10:00 BST, followed by nan 2nd characteristic title astatine 14:30.

Four further rounds will beryllium held complete six weeks to bring nan 2024 title to a conclusion.