It’s a magnet for road racers—wild and beautiful—but opinions are divided when it comes to the Tourist Trophy races on the infamous Isle of Man. People either love them or hate them. There is nothing in between. Sidecar rider Mike Roscher is one of those people who have fallen for the island’s charm and the races. In 2018, he is the only rider in his class who comes from Germany. The IDM veteran is hooked on the island and is currently heading out onto the breathtaking—and one of the most dangerous—tracks in the world for the eighth time in his career.
The TT starts and finishes in Douglas. From there, the 60.72-kilometer route winds through country roads and villages, with twisting curves and sharp turns, passing right alongside gutters, embankments, and walls. Bales of straw are placed along the route to protect riders from serious injury in the event of an accident, and air fences are also set up in some sections. It is impossible to memorize every curve, braking point, and hazard on the long course. Too much is unpredictable and must be navigated blindly. A single mistake can change or end a life. A TT victory means fame for all time. The course places extreme demands on both rider and machine. But that is precisely what makes the TT so special.
Anna Burkard, who has been Roscher’s constant companion in the sidecar at the IDM for years, is handing over her spot at the TT to Englishman Shaun Parker. The many blind runs through the area aren’t for the Swiss rider. This time, she’ll be handling the catering.
Roscher, who rides an F2 sidecar, secured his license for the Isle of Man at the last minute. “You have to show that you’ve completed four races from last year and two new ones,” explains the 53-year-old, who had to apply for his TT license in London. It was a close call. During spring training in Val de Vienne, Roscher sprained his sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae. “We were having dinner. I made some stupid move. That was it.”
As a result, almost nothing had happened leading up to the IDM opener. But in the Magdeburg Börde region, Roscher got down to business. Together with Anna Burkard, he finished fourth twice. In the second race, the pair were just 0.092 seconds behind third-place finisher André Kretzer. “The IDM opener was our first test, our first practice session, and our very first races of the year,” says Roscher. But nothing stood in the way of his TT license anymore.
The first practice session took place yesterday, Monday, on the Isle of Man. The first session went well, but in the second, Roscher and Parker had to pull over due to a broken spark plug. There will now be a practice session every evening through the weekend. The first sidecar race is on June 2, 2018.