Podium for Nieto

From Team Alstare Suzuki

PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA -- Team Suzuki Alstare rider Fonsi Nieto took a fifth in the first race and followed that with a superb third in race two at Phillip Island Sunday to move into second place in the World Superbike Championship behind Troy Bayliss (Ducati).

Bayliss won both 22-lap races at Phillip Island, with Troy Corser (Yamaha) second and Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) third in race one and Carlos Checa second in race two.

Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner finished seventh in race one and was in line for a podium in the second race, but bike set-up problems forced him down the order to fifth at the flag.

"I am happy because I got a podium on a very tough day of racing and also because I am now second in the championship," Nieto said. "In the first race, my gearing was too short and, because of the wind, I was on the limiter all the way down the straight. So, fifth was not so bad.

"In race two, I pushed as hard as I could, but Bayliss was impossible to catch, but I am happy because I ended up on the podium. My idea is to be very consistent this season and keep taking points whenever and wherever I can, because it is a very long season."