Marc VDS’s Mike Di Meglio secured Moto E victory at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, moving into the championship lead as a result.
The pole-man got a strong start to lead heading into Turn 1 at a wet Red Bull Ring, pulling a small gap on the battling Avintia Energico machines of Xavier Simeon and Eric Granado.
Granado was eventually able to make a move stick on his team-mate, and began to chase down Di Meglio.
He duly did so, moving into the lead on the second lap of the shortened five lap contest, diving down the inside of the Frenchman at Turn 4.
The Brazillian came unstuck just a lap later though as he touched the slippy white line in the braking zone to Turn 3. He lost the front and slid out of the race, leaving Di Meglio to re-take his early lead heading into the final couple of tours.
Hector Garzo -who could only manage a sub-par lap in Superpole after looking the man to beat all weekeed – had in the meantime risen from sixth on the grid to third, and soon moved clear of Simeon into second.
He then began to cut down the leading advantage, closing to just a few bike lengths behind Di Meglio half-way round the final lap.
Disaster struck though as Garzo tucked the front heading into Turn 4 for the final time, retiring in the gravel.
This left Di Meglio to score victory ahead of Simeon and Bradley Smith’s One Energy Racing Energica, while championship leader and Germany winner Niki Tuuli could manage just 17th.
Alex De Angelis came home fourth ahead of Gresini man Matteo Ferrari, while Sete Gibernau put on a show to move from 12th to sixth at the flag for the Pons Moto E squad.
Josh Hook managed seventh on the second Pramac-run bike ahead of Jesko Raffin, while Niccolo Canepa and Lorenzo Savadori rounded out the top ten for LCR and Gresini respectively.
Di Meglio now leads the Moto E world cup rider’s standings on 41 points, six clear of Smith who moves onto 35 with his third place result.
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