Kyle Ryde had been waiting to secure another victory since his initial win at Thruxton. Although the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions rider consistently appeared on the podium in the intervening races, he was eager to reclaim the top spot in the British Superbike Championship (BSB) to strengthen his lead in the title race.
Following Scott Redding’s emergence as the frontrunner at Assen, Ryde improved his start from the front row and took the lead by the second lap after overtaking Ryan Vickers. During the race, Ryde recounted in the British Superbikes’ Podium Reactions segment: “That was probably my best start of the weekend. I settled behind Ryan initially — well, ‘settled’ is a relative term because I passed him on the first lap at the last corner. From there, I focused on not rushing to win too early but aiming to ensure the three of us could finish safely. If it ended up as a fight for first, second, and third, then that was fine. I just wanted to distance myself from any trouble.”
Ryde felt his Ducati wasn’t as quick as Bradley Ray’s Yamaha. As Ray closed in to a close second, Ryde didn’t want to let him take the lead. He explained, “I pushed through several fast laps — maybe a bit too hard since my tire wasn’t in the best shape toward the end. It was an exciting race to be part of. Like Brad said, I couldn’t afford to stay behind him for even half a lap because it was clear he would be faster in certain sections. I didn’t want a back-and-forth battle where he would pull ahead by two tenths, I’d catch back, and then Scott would pass me. So when he finally overtook, I dropped back.”
Though Ryde maintained his lead despite repeated challenges from Ray, the nearing approach of Scott Redding forced him into a defensive strategy during the final laps — especially at the last chicane. There, Redding made a bold move that briefly put him in front before he slipped back to third, struggling to keep control until the finish line. Reflecting on the finish, Ryde, riding the Hager PBM Ducati, was pleased to win at a circuit where Redding is typically dominant: “It slowed the lap times considerably, but I kept fighting at the front. I wasn’t even checking the pit board, and suddenly there were only three laps left, so I went fully defensive everywhere. It was an incredible race to be in, and beating Scott after the strong weekend he had felt really good.”
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Fan Take: This win signals that Kyle Ryde is a formidable contender ready to challenge the current frontrunners, adding an exciting dynamic to the BSB championship battle. For racing enthusiasts, it highlights how fierce competition and tactical riding continue to elevate the sport’s intensity and unpredictability.
Source: www.crash.net
