Haga halted Bayliss's charge to a third World Superbike title

World Superbike championship leader Troy Bayliss must wait at least one more round to clinch the title after Noriyuki Haga won both races in Rome.

Japan's Haga finished ahead of Italy's Max Biaggi in the first race, with Australia's Troy Corser in third.

Italian Michel Fabrizio was 1.507 seconds behind the Yamaha rider in the second race, with Corser again third.

Bayliss, sixth and 16th in the first and second races respectively, holds a 79-point lead in the championship.

The 39-year-old Australian, who retires at the end of the season, would have sealed a third World Superbike title had he claimed a win in Rome.

Instead it was Haga, who is now third in the overall standings behind Corser in second and leader Bayliss, who stole the show.

The penultimate round takes place in Magny-Cours in France in two weeks' time, with the final race of the season in Portimao, Portugal, on 2 November.

Race 1 results, Vallelunga, Rome:
1. Noriyuki Haga (Jpn) Yamaha, 39 mins, 25.030 secs
2. Max Biaggi (Ita) Ducati @ 0.129 sec
3. Troy Corser (Aus) Yamaha @ 0.535
4. Max Neukirchner (Ger) Suzuki @ 5.188
5. Carlo Checa (Spa) Honda @ 6.693
6. Troy Bayliss (Aus) Ducati @ 7.993
7. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Ducati @ 16.976
8. Roberto Rolfo (Ita) Honda @ 18.359
9. Yukio Kagayama (Jpn), Suzuki @ 19.214
10. Shinichi Nakatomi (Jpn) Yamaha @ 19.386

Race 2 results:
1. Noriyuki Haga (Jpn) Yamaha, 39mins, 10.265 secs
2. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Ducati @ 1.507 secs
3. Troy Corser (Aus) Yamaha @ 2.268
4. Max Neukirchner, (Ger) Suzuki @ 11.813
5. Carlo Checa (Spa) Honda @ 17.922
6. Fonsi Nieto (Spa) Suzuki @ 18.281
7. Yukio Kagayama (Jpn) Suzuki @ 19.368
8. Shinichi Nakatomi (Jpn) Yamaha @ 19.717
9. Regis Laconi (Fra) Kawasaki @ 23.868
10. Roberto Rolfo (Ita) Honda @ 24.198

Championship standings (after 12 of 14 rounds):
1. Troy Bayliss (Aus) Ducati 369 points
2. Troy Corser (Aus) Yamaha, 290
3. Noriyuki Haga (Jpn) Yamaha 289
4. Max Neukirchner (Ger) Suzuki 280
5. Carlos Checa (Spa), Honda 262
6. Max Biaggi (Ita) Ducati 212
7. Fonsi Nieto (Spa) Suzuki 206
8. Michel Fabrizio (Ita) Ducati 201
9. Riyuichi Kiyonari (Jpn) Honda 193
10. Ruben Xaus (Spa) Ducati 160