How do motorcycle road racers deal with death in their sport?

Breaking news from the world of sport: How do motorcycle road racers deal with death in their sport? Image source, PacemakerImage caption, Davey Todd is one of the top road racers at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TTByAndy GrayBBC Sport NI JournalistPublished33 minutes agoThe North West 200 road race has been overshadowed by the death of Czech Republic rider Kamil Holan. Holan, 48, died after an accident at the high-speed Station Corner in the Superbike qualifying session, which was the first on-track action on Thursday.

He became the 20th rider fatality in the 97-year history of the North West 200, and the first since Malachi Mitchell-Thomas died after a crash in 2016. On Thursday evening, with the approval of Holan's family, the event resumed as riders took to the circuit for the final qualifying sessions, and six races will go ahead as scheduled on Saturday. Davey Todd, a leading road racer who is missing this year's event because of injuries sustained at a crash in Daytona in March, acknowledges how it is hard for people outside the sport to fathom how riders can head back on to the track so soon after a tragedy.

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Unfortunately, to understand it, you have to be a part of it," Todd told Sport NI. "As soon as you are a part of this amazing sport, you understand how it works and why we continue to do what we do. "Honestly, that's the only way, as much as you try to explain to people exactly why we're going to continue to race on Saturday after such a tragic thing.

"'The best guy' - tributes paid to late racer Holan Published3 hours agoMotorcycle road races take place on closed public roads, and the Triangle Circuit at the North West 200 is comprised of 8. 97 miles between the towns of Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush on the north coast of Northern Ireland. Station Corner, where Holan lost his life, is one of the fastest sections on the circuit.

Todd, who is a nine-time winner at the North West 200, has experienced competing after a fatal accident on a number of occasions at the Isle of Man TT, where 10 riders have been killed since he made his debut in 2018. The 30-year-old says tragedies are "something we all think about and spare a minute for remembering the fallen riders". He added: "At the same time, as soon as that visor goes down, you actually can't think about anything else.

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"For me in particular, it gives you a little bit of a break when the visor goes down because all you can think about is the road in front of you and the track in front of you. "You can't actually think about the ''what ifs' and the doubts and everything else in your mind. It helps you continue, but as soon as the helmet comes back off then the memories come back.

" Figure caption, 'Everyone's thoughts are with the family of the rider'Todd explained he is in his "happy place" when on the circuit and says that "for most of us it is all we know".

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.