Tourist Trophy 2017, the most famous road race in the world from Metzeler Village

Tourist trophy, abbreviated to TT for all its fans, is undoubtedly the most spectacular race that exists. A fantastic experience, a race that takes place in the first week of June on the road circuit of Snaefell Mountain Course long around 61 km. Let's forget about curbs, guard rails and escape routes, none of this exists here.

In 1949 and until 1976 the Tourist Trophy was valid as the British Grand Prix of the World Motorcycle Championship, but in 1976 it was excluded from the world championship calendar as it was too dangerous. But can you imagine Valentino Rossi speeding through the streets of the Isle of Man? Impossible, as the champion from Tavullia, in an interview conducted after completing a lap of the famous TT, declared that his "colleagues" were crazy to graze walls, pavements and houses at 300 km/h.

But let's get back to us. These drivers, in addition to having immense courage and a lot of adrenaline in their bodies, must be totally respected, as they are capable of racing at speeds that can't even be reached on the track. Here there is no chatter or "who knows what else", here there is only a rich intuitive ability and tons of pure adrenaline. The Isle of Man could not miss the Italian flag which never fails to visit even without super official teams and riders. Our Alex Polita, Stefano Bonetti and Marco Pagani, are some well-known names who have landed on the island. Among the enthusiasts waiting behind the barriers, my Italian nature gives rise to nostalgic stories from those who, at the time, had also seen Giacomo Agostini, holder of the greatest number of victories, race until the stage was valid as a test of the MotoGP.

To reach the Isle of Man we board the small twin-engine plane which allows us to reach the island from Manchester in a 55 minute flight. The island can also be reached by ferry from Heysham or Liverpool. The latter (further south) is 1.700 km from Milan, so you need to consider at least 4 days of travel with stops to rest, certainly a demanding journey, which however is a substantial part of the unforgettable experience that every enthusiast wants and can live thanks to the TT.

It is always pleasant to notice the atmosphere of passion that can be felt from the first moments even on the plane; a strong appeal for enthusiasts of all ages, like my traveling companion who sits next to me who is around 70 years old, pumped up like a spring and ready to show off his "TT jersey and cap" outfit. Having landed in Man, without wasting too much time, we head towards the Metzeler Village; Metzeler affirms its presence within the National Sports Center village of Douglas, a place ready to welcome enthusiasts and motorcyclists from all over the world with guarded parking for motorcyclists 24 hours a day, with an environment equipped with all comforts, from hot showers to the bar to be able to have both an Italian and English breakfast and a relaxation area to be able to charge your mobile phone and have a chat with the same motorcyclists who have arrived on the island, to experience the same passion that unites us.

The village, which Metzeler is setting up for the fifth year, is located next to the Quarter bridge curve, a wonderful position, where drivers arriving at over 300 km/h downshift from sixth to first to tackle a difficult downhill curve. A strategic position to watch the races and easy to reach the paddock where stalls of all kinds are set up and full of initiatives with music for all TT enthusiasts. I spent my days on the island in a tent in the Metzeler Village to better live my passion, I closed my eyes to sleep and heard the motorbikes of the enthusiasts, I opened my eyes and heard the same symphony. All this starting from 22 euros per day per person, with a mattress and a night lantern (when booking it is possible to add a pillow and sleeping bag which remains with the guests for a small surcharge).

Finally the day of the races

Before the road is closed to traffic, surrounded by motorbikes, we advance on the road as we head along the edge of the track in the opposite direction to travel; passing by I see houses full of people in every corner and I am struck by many couples in their seventies sitting on the side of the road waiting to watch the race, equipped with drinks and radios. Having arrived at a strategic point for us both for recording videos and taking photos practically on the track, obviously always with an eye on safety, I am attracted by a very suggestive image, that of the large right-hand bend without barriers and with walls flush with the road and I only now realize where I am, feeling infinite joy.

Our Lampa Action Cam 3 thanks to which we will soon show you some passages of the TT

After the various warm-up sessions of the 600 and Open 1000 categories, Sidecars and electric motorbikes move on to the premier class, the Superbike. I'm left speechless as the young man suddenly zooms by Michael Dunlop aboard the Suzuki followed immediately after by the thirty-eighty Ian Hutchinson on the BMW, I now know that, when they say that to race the Superbike at the TT you have to be crazy, they are not exaggerating. Other riders follow for 3 minutes, they are all very fast, but the difference with the leaders can also be seen by eye.

Despite having followed the TT for years through DVDs and various social media, I can guarantee you that seeing these crazy riders live made me very emotional; I was impressed by how they tackle blind corners that are taken at over 250 km per hour, a small bump on the straight that is overcome with wide open throttle, and all of this leaves me breathless; for them everything is normal, these drivers are to be admired from start to finish, despite the race being criticized by many due to the deaths that occur every year. But these people really don't know fear!

I have never seen anything so fast on a road, although in the past I followed the championship uphill, there is no point in looking for words to describe it, I can only say that it was incredible and that after seeing with my own eyes the importance of the Tourist Trophy, I can't help but invite all those enthusiasts, at least once in their lives, to make a great dream come true. It was a fantastic trip that I would do again tomorrow morning, I thank Metzeler for the excellent hospitality received, but I am sure that in this place, where every motorcyclist would like to go at least once to tell his tale, I will return because everything is magnificently magical.