Sykes, Rea and Haslam on front row for Dutch races.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) has won the 4th Tissot-Superpole of the season after a tense final 15 minute shoot-out in Assen. The 4.542km Cathedral of Speed once again produced an exciting climax to the WorldSBK qualifying session in which the top 8 riders on the grid for tomorrow’s two 21 lap races are covered by a second. Today’s Pole Position is the 25th of Tom’s career, his first since Magny-Cours last year.

Joining the Kawasaki rider on the front row will be Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils).

Row two was decided in the final minute as Chaz Davies valiant effort to overhaul Sykes failed after a mistake, the Aruba.it Racing Ducati SBK rider will start 4th with local hero Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), who scored his maiden podium in WorldSBK last year, 5th and 6th respectively.

On the 3rd row of the grid Xavi Fores (Aruba.it Racing Ducati SBK Team) will line up alongside Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) in what was the most closely fought Tissot-Superpole of the season so far.

Earlier Sylvain Guintoli and Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing) were the two riders to progress from Superpole 1.

Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) once again missed the opportunity to fight for a place on the front four rows of the grid, the Frenchman will start from row 6 in 18th.