TBT: Triumph Back On Top With Hickman

TBT: Triumph Back On Top With Hickman

Today’s turn back time sees us venture towards the largely weather impacted 2019 TT Races, as we celebrate Triumph’s latest Mountain Course success.

The re-scheduled two lap Monster Energy Supersport race two saw world’s fastest road racer Peter Hickman, Senior race winner Dean Harrison embroiled in a gripping fight for honours.

Here’s a full run down of all the lead changes, captivating moments of another Harrison/Hickman classic on the fabled, mythical Mountain Course.

Early stages:

10 minutes behind schedule the second Monster Energy Supersport race of TT 2019, broke cover with Milenco by Padgetts Conor Cummins again the first to make the ultra rapid trip down to Bray Hill and beyond.

Not known for his fast starts to TT affiliated races, it was Peter Hickman who squeezed into a tiny race lead at Glen Helen, moving 0.061 of a second clear over James Hillier, with Dean Harrison just a further 0.354 behind.

It was all change out front at Ballaugh Bridge, as Silicone Engineering Racing’s Harrison grabbed the race lead, with future Rich Energy OMG Racing signing Hillier maintaining second.

Hickman who looks set to pilot again next year Triumph machinery on Manx shores, dropped back to third as just over 0.6 of a second covered the top three.

Soon it was all change again amongst the leading trio, with Hickman moving back into the race lead, heading Harrison by 0.038 of a second.

First Lap Conclusion:

By the time Hickman reached the Bungalow, the race lead stood at an extended margin of 1.79 seconds. Harrison in second was now only 0.9 clear of Hillier, whilst local hero, fourth placed Cummins maintained close proximity in the battle for the podium placings.

Come the completion of lap 1, Hickman’s modest race lead stood at 2.3 seconds over Harrison. Hillier third was a further 0.9 behind.

Cummins remained fourth as PreZ Racing’s Jamie Coward, RAF Regular & Reserves supported Gary Johnson finalised the top six.

Middleweight Class Action Intensifies, Hickman Proves His Mettle Again:

Lap two began with a determined Harrison re-inheriting the race lead. Having passed Cummins to lead on the road, his advantage over Hickman by Glen Helen was only half a second, another scintillating last lap battle between the roads giants was no question on the Horizon!

Another race leadership change arose at Ballaugh Bridge, with Hickman reclaiming the advantage, leading Harrison by just over three tenths of a second.

Hillier in third place, was now four seconds behind the two quickest Mountain Course competitors, who were treating the large crowd on Manx shores today, to a truly gripping battle for class honours.

It was nip and tuck at Ramsey Hairpin, with virtually nothing separating Harrison and Hickman, but by the Bungalow Hickman’s prowess on the Mountain section of the TT course, began to bare fruit, with the race lead growing to almost one second.

Proving again why he is regarded by many as the world’s leading International Road Racer, Hickman crossed the line at the end of the second and final lap, to emerge victorious by 3.3 seconds over Ulster GP, Oliver’s Mount lap record holder Harrison.

Hickman’s race victory at the time took his total of TT wins to four, his first Supersport TT success and Triumph’s first TT victory since 2014.

Rounding out the rostrum finishers behind Hickman and Harrison, was the ever consistent, dependable, reliable, Bournemouth Kawasaki mainstay Hillier.

Outside The Rostrum:

Conor Cummins finished fourth, whilst Jamie Coward secured a new personal best TT finish, finishing an excellent fifth in front of 19 times TT winner Michael Dunlop.

Placing’s 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th were clinched respectively by Davey Todd, Gary Johnson, Ashcourt Racing’s Lee Johnston and Australia’s speediest TT exponent David Johnson.

Others to impress outside the top ten included Paul Jordan (11th), Sam West (13th), Davies Motorsport’s Dominic Herbertson (14th), Michael Browne (18th), Manx GP winner James Chawke (20th) and Joe Akroyd (22nd).

Lead newcomer was Ray Casey (44th) whilst fellow TT debutants Jonathan Goetschy, David Datzer claimed top 55 finishes.

Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou

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