Troy Bayliss kept his bid for a third World Superbike Championship crown on course after taking pole position for tomorrow's two races at Monza.

The Australian, who leads the championship standings by 70 points after winning both races last time out at Assen in Holland, won the superpole qualifying session on the Xerox Ducati with a lap of one minute 44.931 seconds of the Italian circuit.

Bayliss edged out Germany's Max Neukirchner on the Alstare Suzuki whose time of 1:45.287 sees him join the Australian on the front row of the grid for tomorrow's two races.

Japan's Noriyuki Haga was third quickest on the Yamaha Motor Italia machine ahead of Carlos Checa on the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda.

Spaniard Checa is Bayliss' closest rival in the points standings but will need to stop the Australian's run of good form tomorrow if he is to close the large points gap.

Neukirchner's Japanese team-mate Yukio Kagayama was fifth fastest, with Spaniards Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati) and Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki) and Japan's Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) completing the second row of the grid.

Former MotoGP rider Max Biaggi continued his poor run of form as the Sterilgarda Ducati rider was only ninth quickest at his home round of the championship.

But perhaps the biggest surprise was Australian Troy Corser, on the Yamaha Motor Italia machine, who was only 12th quickest despite being third in the points table ahead of the fifth round of the series.

Bayliss admitted his team had to work hard because of problems they had encountered with tyres.

"It's been a bit of a mixed weekend, we've been struggling a bit with the race tyre but we've worked hard, trying different things and finally it's come quite good," he said.

"We were down a little way this morning but made a few changes and now we are much more consistent on the race tyre. I was very happy with the lap I did in superpole.

"I made a little mistake in the first chicane when I ran wide but it came together good."

Bayliss expects Neukirchner to push him hard on race day.

He said: "Tomorrow will see some tough racing, Max is consistent on the tyre and proving to be a real contender.

"It's very difficult to get away at Monza, I have a feeling it's going to be between Max, Nori and myself but I'm sure it's going to be more than that for the first eight laps."

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