Eight years since making his first appearance at the TT, Manxman Dan Kneen finally claimed his first podium in Wednesday’s Superstock race with the local star taking a fine third place and setting his best ever lap of the Mountain Course at 130.347mph.
A lot of expectation has been on Kneen’s shoulders ever since he became the first rider to win three races in a week at the Manx Grand Prix, when aged just 20 in 2008, and his best result prior to today was fifth in the 2010 Supersport race and in this year’s Superbike race. Two pit lane speeding penalties in the two races held so far this week prevented him from better finishes but, despite a few issues with the electronics on the DTR BMW, it all came together in the Superstock race much to his own relief.
“If I’d thrown third place away today, I think I’d have carried on riding until I reached Douglas harbour,” he joked afterwards. “I’ve been trying for so many years so to finally achieve it is a feeling I can’t describe at the moment. I’ve been close before and had chances but a lot of people have stuck by me over the years and it’s all come together at last.”
“I didn’t think I was riding that well on the first lap and was perhaps a bit tense so I’m a bit surprised it was my fastest ever lap. I hurt my hand just before the North West 200 so thought I’d hampered myself again but I really enjoy riding the Superstock bike and apart from the electronics problems, it worked really well. The quickshifter and traction control stopped working after the pit stop which messed me up for a bit so when I got to Ramsey I turned it all off and it was much better after that.”
“I was beginning to think a podium was never going to happen so to finally do it is a great relief and a great feeling.”
