After leading the race throughout the10 laps Richard Cooper was pipped at the post for the win by championship leader Eduardo Colombi in round seven of the Pirelli National Sportbike championship at Cadwell Park on Sunday.

After qualifying in second place the Hucknall rider started the 12 lap race from the front row and as the lights went out Cooper swept around the outside of Ash Barnes and got the hole shot into Coppice.

He was stretching his lead on the second lap but the red flag halted his progress for a crash at the Mountain top. There was a lengthy delay to allow fluid to be removed from the tarmac and the race was restarted over 10 laps.

As they got underway Cooper continued where he left off and led the way around the Lincolnshire circuit on the opening lap. By the half way stage Cooper had control of the race but he didn't reckon with the championship leader who was up to second place and looking menacing just a few yards behind him.

placeholder image — Cooper in action at Cadwell.

On the penultimate lap Colombi took the lead at Park and held it through to the final lap. But Cooper slipped past at Coppice to regain his position only for Colombi to snatch it back at Park. This time Colombi held on through the final half of the lap to take the chequered flag for the win just a tenth of a second ahead of Cooper in second place.

Cooper said: “I need to start by congratulating Eduardo on that fantastic race. He came to Cadwell Park, my back garden where I grew up in club racing and on his first visit here he won the race. When he passed me with a lap to go it was unbelievable and he deserves everything he has achieved this weekend.

"We did everything we could with the PHR Performance Triumph and it is fantastic,I am getting everything I can out of it. Our bikes work in different areas, I feel have a bit more top end but the punch from the Aprillia is kind of unbeatable for me at the moment. After the mele at Thruxton with us both going down I just relieved to get back over the line and see the finish.”

The 17 yea- old Italian extends his lead over Cooper to four and a half points but with three rounds and four races left its certainly not over yet.

The next round is at Oulton Park over the weekend of September 13/15.