BINGLEY’S Ian Hutchinson earned a fairytale victory in today’s first Supersport TT race on the Isle of Man.
In an amazing comeback from a serious leg injury, the 35-year-old finished almost eight seconds clear of second-placed Bruce Anstey.
It was Hutchinson’s first time back at the Isle of Man TT since winning five races in a week during 2010.
In the same year, after that historic achievement, the Bingley Bullet came off his bike in the British Supersport Championship at Silverstone and had another rider run over his leg.
Doctors initially wanted to amputate his injured limb but many operations later, Hutchinson returned in victorious fashion today on a Yamaha owned by Prodigy star Keith Flint’s Traction Control team.
The Bingley rider entered the winner’s enclosure to a hero’s welcome after his sensational success, his ninth TT win in the class which gave him his first victory eight years ago.
A delighted Hutchinson said: “This is something very special – all the fans were waving at me around the circuit. I knew this day would come.
“Most people thought I wouldn’t be capable of running at the front again but this bike was an absolute dream to ride. I only secured this ride last week and everything went perfect.”
The former Macau Grand Prix winner turned the tables on Anstey after finishing second behind the New Zealander in Sunday’s Superbike six-lapper.
After that event, Hutchinson promised that “there was more to come” and so it proved as he equalled the tally of wins achieved by the late David Jefferies and Charlie Williams over the Mountain Course.
Early leader Gary Johnson took third place on the Mar-Train Yamaha, 17 seconds adrift of Anstey, with Northern Ireland’s Lee Johnston recording his best-ever TT finish in fourth.
Hutchinson set the fastest lap of a race held in perfect conditions, at 127.57mph on his final circuit.
Bradford’s Dean Harrison was forced to retire his Yamaha at Crosby crossroads on lap two.
Today, it was also the opening Sure Sidecars race, with Dean’s dad Conrad Harrison, whose passenger was Mike Aylott, coming third behind brothers Ben and Tom Birchall (LCR Honda) from Mansfield and John Holden and Dan Sayle.
Idle’s Harrison has now taken nine podiums in his last ten sidecar races at the TT.
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