Max Neukirchner claimed his maiden World Superbike win as he and Noriyuki Haga shared the spoils on a thrilling afternoon of action at Monza.

The German Suzuki rider edged home just six hundredths of a second ahead of Haga in race one with championship leader Troy Bayliss third.

Neukirchner outduelled Haga in a wheel-to-wheel last lap battle, and there was no repeat of the scenes at Valencia, when Carlos Checa took him out on the final corner while leading.

Haga got his revenge on Neukirchner in race two by an even smaller margin. The Yamaha man crossed the line just nine thousandths of a second ahead of the German in the fifth-closest finish in World Superbike history.

The race should have gone to Ten Kate Honda's Ryuichi Kiyonari, who led into the final parabolica curve but crucially lost ground through the corner.

Bayliss was forced out of an eventful race with an engine problem, while Max Biaggi suffered a suspected broken finger crashing after contact with Jakub Srmz.

Although Bayliss had a disappointing weekend by his exceptionally high standards, he still managed to extend his championship lead to 78 points over Checa, who was eighth in race one and retired from race two.

Haga, Neukirchner, Fonsi Nieto and Troy Corser are all now within 15 points of Checa, who has 116.

In the Supersport class, Britain's Craig Jones overcame a broken metacarpal bone in his left hand to claim a battling sixth place.

The Parkalgar Honda man was involved in a frantic five-way battle for fourth place behind race winner Fabien Foret.

Josh Brookes came second, leading Australian compatriots Broc Parkes and Andrew Pitt.

Jones's fellow Britons Jonathan Rea, Chris Walker and Graeme Gowland all failed to finish.

RACE ONE

1- Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) 32:02.851

2- Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) +0.058

3- Troy Bayliss (Ducati) +0.672

4- Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) +0.771

5- Max Biaggi (Ducati) +3.869

6- Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +5.995

7- Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki) +8.788

8- Carlos Checa (Honda) +9.374

9- Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) +10.667

10- Jakub Smrz (Ducati) +10.771

RACE TWO

1- Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) 32:07.576

2- Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) +0.009

3- Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +0.051

4- Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki) +4.489

5- Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) +10.272

6- Karl Muggeridge (Honda) +10.376

7- Ruben Xaus (Ducati) +10.496

8- Troy Corser (Yamaha) +12.498

9- Ayrton Badovini (Kawasaki) +19.429

10- Gregorio Lavilla (Honda) +26.373

Championship standings: 1-Bayliss 194, 2-Checa 116, 3-Haga 112, 4-Neukirchner 111, 5-Nieto 107, 6-Corser 101.

SUPERSPORT

1- Fabien Foret (Yamaha) 29:38.261

2- Josh Brookes (Honda) +1.199

3- Broc Parkes (Yamaha) +6.736

4- Andrew Pitt (Honda) +11.398

5- Robin Harms (Honda) +11.477

6- Craig Jones (Honda) +11.716

7- Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha) +11.757

8- Matthieu Lagrive (Honda) +12.186

Championship standings: 1-Joan Lascorz 77, 2-Foret 71, 3-Parkes 65, 4-Brookes 63, 5-Brookes 63, 6-Jones 49.

Alex Chick / Eurosport