Tourist Trophy – The Chevalier at TT 2005 –

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The Chevalier at TT 2005

Tourist Trophy - The Chevalier at TT 2005 -

Hear! The mythical race across the Channel offers very little respite to the Preux Chevalier Sergeï. He still takes the time to tell us about some adventures. Engine !

After a sleepless night to finish the preparation of the motorcycles, to assemble the fairings specially painted by Cannonball in Pau and to load the vehicles, I took the road then the sea in Bilbao, Spain, for Portsmouth in Perfide Albion.

First steps on the Isle of Man

For newcomers, a bus tour with an experienced driver is mandatory. At first glance, it looks rock’n’roll, my heart hurts a little (is it the bus? The winding roads? The apprehension of racing in unknown terrain?).

Saturday May 29

First round ! Before getting on the bike, Bruno Bonhuil hits me on the shoulder and tells me that he will come see me this evening so that I can give him my impressions. He confesses that during his first participation, he wondered what he was doing in this race.

From the first kilometers of the track, I understand why: it is mentally difficult to pass at more than 250 km / h in front of the houses of the villages crossed !

The track opens before my eyes (which come out of their orbits) to aim for the point as far as possible on the horizon. My bike, equipped with racing fairings, seems lighter from the front. The racing saddle with small foam reduces the comfort compared to the original saddle. The buttocks tap on the saddle, a vibration settles in my eyes and I have the impression of having Rossi’s motorcycle on a country road.

The first round ends. The Marshall who opened the way for newcomers has already dumped us. I feel like I’m completely off the mark.

I stop in the pits, I look at Vincent Catala (present by my side for this special race) and I repeat Bruno Bonhuil’s question to him: "But what am I doing here?"

Vincent and two other French mechanics comfort and motivate me. You have to leave without forcing, just to have fun. I listen to them and leave. My mind frees itself and the sensations return. These are my first two laps of the circuit.

Monday May 30

First official practice session, competitors are launched two by two, every ten seconds.

I set off on this circuit with, despite everything, a lot of apprehension and knots in my stomach.

I get caught up by the pilots who started after me. Don’t panic, I’m not even trying to take the wheel of the other competitors: these guys are too fast for me !

Marc Granie (already 15 participations) overtakes me. He rides on the Yamaha R1 # 0001, a vintage bike that he rides wonderfully. Neither do I try to follow him, his pace is too high. I let go of his wheel and just pick up another newcomer: Joakim Karlsson (Swedish, 39). But this pilot makes a mistake to finish his race in the park of a house … The shock is violent, just like the sobs that invade my helmet. I can’t help but cry, always asking myself the same question: why him? Why this guy in front of me? (Joakim Karlsson died instantly, Editor’s note).

I finished my first stopwatch session with a 22-minute lap. I am therefore qualified !

In the evening, the support of all the French pilots is essential. Marc Dufour and Marc Granie each give me a comment on each turn of the circuit.

Tuesday May 31

Marc Dufour rushes to my side. I take this moment to follow the teacher who applies all the trajectories he taught me. A dream tour! He puts on turn after turn and makes me discover the pleasure of traveling at more than 200 km / h.

I concentrate not to let go of his wheel. Great, I manage to follow him on a lap. We go on the second round: same dance and same sensations. My R1 allows me to glue it back in the faster sections. When we come back to the mountainous part, I launch an attack in the main straight. I switch to power, he in turn takes my wheel and we pass the finish by improving our lap times. Thanks to him, I improve my time by one minute, or 21”00’15! The best time is 18”04’35…

Passage to the pit, change of motorbike and first turn of the wheel with the 600. I finally found a smile and Vincent warns me once again: "Watch out, the tires are cold and new!"

I come out of the pits, I have the impression of driving a moped (the change from R1 to R6 is radical).

I arrive at Quarter Bridge, the first roundabout. I went to 20 km / h when it was obviously not necessary to exceed 15 km / h … I found myself face down at the slowest place on the circuit! The marshals rush towards me, the bike obviously has nothing but they prevent me from leaving for safety reasons.

So I end my session at the local Pub accompanied by Irish people who make me appreciate their drinks…

Wednesday and Thursday

It is raining on the Isle of Man and the trials are canceled. Guaranteed atmosphere in the paddock. There is indeed something magical here …

I still have to qualify in the 600 Supersport class, although I have not yet completed a single lap with this bike. But what is it good !

Sunday June 5

This is my first race, and I pass it behind Marc Granie. Marc, with his 15 participations, serves as my hare and teacher during the six laps of the Superbike race (premier category, 1000 cc) this Sunday.

Starting in 70th position, I had a good learning race with Marc. We double down on several occasions. Coming out of the pits, I realize that the front brake has cooled a lot! The time spent in refueling was not optimal … So many parameters to be taken into consideration for future races (if there are any!)

Moulyneux, the sidecar superstar, could not prove how strong he is in the race because of a mechanical failure … The latter nevertheless improved his lap record by 30 seconds..

Monday June 6

Start of the Supersport race today Monday at 2:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. French time).

Refueling on the second lap of the Supersport race, which takes place over four laps. I find Vincent Catala, my mechanic for the TT, a firefighter, Christophe Darras, a Frenchman who is participating for the first time in the TT in a sidecar, with a driver who is doing his 25th (!) Edition this year: thrills insured…

Even today, I witnessed an accident, right in front of my wheel. It calms….

Otherwise, I was severely criticized because of a stretched leg in the turn… A gesture that would have disturbed two riders during the Superbike race. The organization gave me a warning for illegal driving, which put my nerves a bit on edge. I didn’t need this, damned !

Race results:

Superbike:
1. John McGuinness
2. Adrian Archibald
3. Martin Finnegan
4. Ian Lougher
5. Raymond Porter

The French: 38th Serge Nuques (3rd newcomer), 40th Marc Granie (hehe).

Supersport:
1. Ian Lougher
2. John McGuinness
3. Jason Griffiths
4. Bruce Anstey
5. Guy Martin

The French: 52nd Fabrice Miguet, 55th Amaury Baratin, 61st Serge Nuques, 68th Emmanuel Cheron.

The Chevalier SERGEI – Photos Alexandre VALERIO

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