Michael Dunlop has extended his record of Isle of Man TT wins by taking his 31st victory in Tuesday’s opening Supertwin TT, as well as becoming the most successful rostrum finisher of all time with his 48th trip to the famous podium on Glencrutchery Road
He was joined up there by two first-time TT podium finishers: Mike Evans and Rob Hodson.
Dunlop’s control of the race was never really in doubt from the moment it started. He eased out a comfortable 10-second lead over Evans in the first three quarters of a lap to catch and then overtake him on the Mountain.
From there on in, it was a matter of controlling the gap as he extended it out in the shortened and delayed two-lap race, with Evans happy to slot in behind him and watch history be made in front.
“I want wins!” Dunlop admitted when asked about breaking the podium record. “Once you’re winning races, the podiums will come. Look, it’s nice to be the most successful rider with the most podiums as well, it’s a nice touch, but the main thing is winning races.
“Ticking out of the twenties and into the thirties now is special, and hopefully we’ll keep battering at it.”
Behind birthday boy Evans, who turned 32 on Tuesday, the battle for the final podium spot was much closer. It was first led by Superbike TT race winner Davey Todd, but he faded off as Hodson, Paul Jordan and Dom Herbertson started to close down the gap.
First Hodson, then Jordan, and finally Herbertson made it through past Todd - but he was able to respond on the final run down from the Mountain to take fifth place back again, while in front Jordan didn’t quite manage to close down the gap to Hodson and just missed out on a second TT podium.
Dunlop’s win marks the end of the first block of races at the TT, with one from each class throwing up three different winners as Todd and Dean Harrison (who sits out the supertwin class this year) join him as victors.
