TT 2022: Todd fights off doubts to claim maiden podium

After being quick in all classes throughout qualifying week, Davey Todd’s 2022 Isle of Man TT campaign was threatening to unravel after a tyre delamination forced him out on the second lap of the Superbike race and he finished back in eighth in Monday morning’s Supersport race.

But the Milenco by Padgetts rider got back on track in yesterday evening’s Superstock with third place giving him his maiden TT podium. Second on lap one with a speed of 130.592mph, Peter Hickman was controlling the race from the front but the Saltburn-on-Sea rider was locked in battle for the two remaining podium positions with team-mate Conor Cummins. Just 3.2s covered them going into the final lap and although a 133mph+ lap saw the Manxman prevail, a lap of 131.704mph – only slightly slower than his first lap Superbike speed of 131.727mph – saw Todd take third and stand on the TT podium for the first time. It fulfilled the promised he’d shown right from his debut in 2018. “I don’t know what to say, my head had gone a bit after what happened in Saturday’s Superbike race and that played a part in me finishing back in eighth in the morning’s Supersport race,” he admitted afterwards. “The team kept me on track and with so many people behind me and cheering me on, it got my focus back. Clive just told me to go out and get back to enjoying riding the bike and that’s what I did – to finish on the podium is a dream. “I knew it was close for second and could see on my pitboard that Conor and Dean (Harrison) were right with me so I got my head down and pushed as hard as I could. I didn’t have any moments or make any mistakes and, like I say, to finish on the TT podium is a dream come true.”