Edwards in Monza charge

Colin Edwards: Superb one-two for the Texan

Colin Edwards surged into a commanding lead in the Superbike World Championship with a virtuoso display in the fifth round of the season at Monza.

The Texan surged 23 points clear at the top of the standings courtesy of a first and a second place finish.

Italy's Pierfrancesco Chili, on a Suzuki, won the first race of the day after slipping past Edwards' Honda on the final corner of the 18-lap contest.

After Chili beat me in the first I was determined to leave here with a win

Colin Edwards

The positions were then reversed in the second race, with Chili almost level again at the finish after Edwards had led for all but three laps.

Japan's Akira Yanagawa finished third in both races on a Kawasaki for his first podium finish of the season.

Troy Bayliss, standing in for Britain's injured world champion Carl Fogarty, was fourth in both legs.

Drug test

"After Chili beat me in the first I was determined to leave here with a win," Edwards said.

"I have to tip my hat to Frankie. He rode a fabulous race. I can't take anything away from him."

Edwards is 23 points ahead of second-placed Noriyuki Haga - and his lead could be stretched even further is the Japanese rider is punished after he failed a dope test at the opening round in South Africa.

The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) revealed the Yamaha rider's second urine sample had confirmed a positive reading for ephedrine.

Honda also took the lead in the manufacturers' standings with 173 points to Yamaha's 162.

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Monza results

Race one:

1. Pierfrancesco Chili (Italy) Suzuki 31 minutes 59.010 seconds

2. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Honda 31:59.038

3. Akira Yanagawa (Japan) Kawasaki 32:10.911

4. Troy Bayliss (Australia) Ducati 32:11.100

5. Aaron Slight (New Zealand) Honda 32:12.493

6. Gregorio Lavilla (Spain) Kawasaki 32:20.028

7. Ben Bostrum (U.S.) Ducati 32:21.347

8. Troy Corser (Australia) Aprilia 32:21.924

9. Alessandro Antonello (Italy) Aprilia 32:29.039

10. Robert Ulm (Austria) Ducati 32:36.385

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Race two:

1. Edwards 32:07.510

2. Chili 32:07.541

3. Yanagawa 32:10.062

4. Bayliss 32:11.674

5. Noriyuki Haga (Japan) Yamaha 32:14.588

6. Corser 32:18.813

7. Slight 32:32.382

8. Andy Meklau (Austria) Ducati 32:41.482

9. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Japan) Suzuki 32:41.558

10.Bostrum 32:43.533

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Standings after five rounds:

1. Edwards 164 points

2. Haga 141

3. Chili 140

4. Corser 95

5. Yanagawa 79

6. Lavilla 69