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TT 2016: Holden and Winkle take victory in first Sidecar race

John Holden and Andy Winkle took the victory in a Sure Sidecar race of a attrition, re-started, over full distance, after a lengthy delay brought about by a serious incident at Rhencullen on the opening lap. It was their second success at the TT, coming five years on from their initial triumph.

Holden had forged clear on the initial attempt to run the race, gradually easing into a lead of some six seconds over the Birchall brothers Ben and Tom, as they reached the Bungalow for the first time, but then the red flags came out to enable services to attend the incident.

Racing resumed some 90 minutes later and immediately it was last year’s double TT winners, the Birchalls who found something extra to charge into the lead, running 1.393secs ahead of Holden by the time they reach Glen Helen on the opening lap. Tim Reeves and Patrick Farrance were running third, but struggling to match the pace, and falling back into the clutches of the Bells, Ian and Carl.

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Some way back Peter Founds/Jevan Walmsley were running in fifth, just ahead of Alan Founds and Aki Alto but seemingly with an uphill struggle to stay in contention as at the sharp-end of the pack the Birchalls were charging on, bettering the lap record on the second lap with an average speed of 116.798mph.

Holden was running 24 seconds down on them with Reeves a further 53 seconds adrift while the Bells were in close contention and well clear of the Founds brothers. It seemed the Birchalls were on course to complete a winning hat-trick but then it all went wrong for the brothers from Mansfield as they pulled disconsolately off at Sulby Crossroads.

Holden had the lead, Reeves briefly was second, but then it all went wrong for the five times World Champion as he stopped at Glenduff and that brought the Founds brothers, with their newcomer passengers, into podium finishes.

Holden took the race by just short of a minute: “I don’t know what changes the Birchalls made between the two starts but second time they were on a different planet and I had no answer to them. I had made a few changes, not sure if I went the right way – it was a case of just keep going and we were lucky, and here we are we’ve won. It feels spot on, so good, though I am bit disappointed that I couldn’t stay with Ben and Tom early on but, but here we are on top.”

Winkle, who had watched last year’s race when he was sidelined by injury, was delighted to be back and taking the top step of the podium though at one point on the last lap he was unsure what was going on. “John backed off a little, I hadn’t see the boards, then realised we had the lead and he was doing a brilliant job. A result is a result – this is such a good one for me after standing watching the race last year, so I am more than happy.”

Behind them, it was a Founds family affair. Peter took second. “I couldn’t believe it when my board at the Gooseneck said seconds – I am made up with this one, everything was going great, I was trying hard, not doing anything silly, rather keeping my head down , not doing anything daft and going at my own pace.” Walmsley, in his first TT, said “Unreal – I didn’t think the boards could be right.”

Third place went to Alan: “I’m lost for words – our engine was not the greatest and was down on power so to be third is a bonus as was doing 112mph average on the last lap. It is completely unexpected – fantastic, what a feeling, a dream. We had a five year place and didn’t expect to be on the podium in the third.” Alto, also a newcomer, was surprised and delighted. “I didn’t expect this but all things came together for us and we had a bit of luck on our side.”

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