Hickman wins red-flagged Isle of Man TT Superbike opener

Peter Hickman has been declared the winner of the opening 2019 Isle of Man TT race following a red flag incident at Snugborough on Lap 3.

The Smiths Racing BMW rider had been leading the RST Superbike TT ahead of Dean Harrison by 0.690s on Lap 3 at Glen Helen when a red flag was show for a racing incident at Snugborough.

Race direction opted to declare the race result at the end of Lap 2, half distance of the four-lap race, which sees Hickman take his third TT victory.

With Harrison taking second place on the Silicone Engineering Racing Kawasaki, Conor Cummins completed the podium in third place on the Milenco by Padgetts Honda, 11 seconds back on the leading duo.

Harrison had been leading the opening stages, pulling out a 4.8s lead at Ballaugh on Lap 2 before Hickman eroded the deficit to lead reaching the pit stops at the end of the lap. Exiting the pits Hickman had a 1.782s lead over Harrison at the start of the Lap 3 before the red flag was shown shortly after.

Behind the podium trio, James Hillier has taken fourth place for Quattro Plant Kawasaki ahead of the second Padgett Honda of Michael Rutter who fended off Tyco BMW’s Michael Dunlop in the fight for fifth place.

John McGuinness was an early retirement for Norton at the end of Lap 1 due to an oil pressure issue, while Lee Johnston retired to the pits at the end of Lap 2.