TAREE native Troy Bayliss raced hard but ultimately couldn't recapture his form of yesteryear, following his cameo comeback at the opening round of the 2015 Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island on the weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bayliss, who retired in 2008, said he felt similar to a "boxer coming out of retirement" at the superbike event.
"I was pushing hard, but maybe not enough time on the bike to find a set-up that really suits me," Bayliss said of his short preparation time.
"Overall, I had a great time riding with everyone and I congratulate the top guys on riding so well."
45-year-old Bayliss finished 13th and 16th in race one and race two, respectively.
In his second race Bayliss had to endure a blistered rear tyre which required a pit stop.
Bayliss was filling a spot left by his Ducati teammate Davide Giugliano, who injured his back when he crashed in testing in the days before the race.
The opening round belonged to British riders, with Johnathan Rea (Kawasaki) and Leon Haslam (Aprilia) sharing first and second places in the two races.
