Michael Dunlop hints at Isle of Man TT pace after “sandbagging” theory
Question marks about Michael Dunlop "sandbagging" at Iꩵsle of 🎉Man TT answered on Sunday
Michael Dunlop r🗹esponded to suggestions about “sandbagging” by showing his speed on Sunday at the Isle of Man TT.
Dunlop topped the fifth Superbike qualif♏ying session, 🌌the last before racing is set to begin on Monday.
Prior to Sunday afternoon he had trailed Dean Harrison on 🏅the big bikes which led some o🧸nlookers to question whether he had more lap time in his pocket.
Ex-TT racer Cameron Donald said on Sunday: “Now𝕴 with these last laps, it’s not a time for riders and teams to be reinventing the wheel.
“It’s a 🐈time for small and calculated changes. It’s time to say♍ ‘that is what I will race with’.”
Tom Birchall said beforeಌ Sunday'💖s running began: “We are seeing guys get into the groove, with the performance of Davey Todd in the past few days.
“Something has clicked. They have got a 💙direction.
“We are seeing Dunlop just finding his feet now. Hopefully the sandbagging rumou𝔉rs aren’t true, and he has actually found a direction to move forwards in.”
Donald said about Dunlop: “He�🐎�’s probably playing the game a bit.
“We🌌 know how good the bike💃 is, and how fast Michael has been at the North West 200. Surely he’s holding a bit back?
“He does like to play the ‘us against them’ card. I am starting to feel like he might be doing that again, because you know the ability he꧟ has.”
Birchall said: “He is the Superbike lap record holder. If you study his sectors, he went quꦦicker than Davey in the last one. It’s clear to see on paper.
“They are finding a direction or t👍hey are throwing sandbags of☂f!”
Michael Dunlop fastest on Sunday at Isle of Man TT
Dunlop then duly headed out to the Mountain Cours🐽e on Sunday afternoon to produce his best lap of the week at 132.003mph.
Har🍬rison managed 130.666mph on the Superbikes, and Todd 129.812mph.
Birchall reacte♏d: “None of us can read Michael’s bod🉐y language.
“Tha🗹t 1’32s lap is ✱a big boost for those guys. He did it with a pitlane start and a short lap.”
However, Donald noted: “Other front runners only did one lap before jumping on another machine. Michael focused both laps on a Superbike which con꧙firms there is work to do.
“He started to ⛄get his shoulders up and was firing it into th💧e corners.
“How much is due to improvements on the bike and how much is because he’s got the bit between his t𒈔eeth?”
Dunlop s🍃mashed his legendary uncle Joey’s record for 🌄TT race wins a year ago.
He returns✤ this year trying to add to his tally of 29.
Harrison and Todd seem to be his closest competitors. 168澳洲幸运5官方𝔍开奖结果历史:Peter Hickman has been ruled out after a crash on Friday.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade co�🌼�vering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
