Guy Martin has confirmed he will not be racing at this year’s Isle of Man TT.
After months of speculation surrounding the Tyco BMW star’s 2016 plans the Lincolnshire man says he will instead be competing in the Tour Divide cycle race in North America. The mountain bike race covers the 2745 miles between Banff in Canada and Antelope Wells in New Mexico and begins on 11 June, the day after the Senior TT.
The news will come as a blow not just to his Tyco BMW team and the TT organisers but to his legions of fans who have been hoping to see him win his first Mountain course race after 12 years of trying.
Although his cycling commitment means it is unlikely he will compete in the North West 200 or the Cookstown 100, the 34-year-old has made it clear that he is not retiring from bike racing, suggesting that he may make a return to the TT in the future. He has also indicated that he may race later in the 2016 season.
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