Tragedy before the 2026 TT: 68-year-old motorcyclist Alan Oversby dies

Monday, May 25 marks, with the first practice sessions, the start of the 115th anniversary edition of the Tourist Trophy. Tragically, on the eve of the event on the Isle of Man, 68-year-old rider Alan Oversby, competing in the Pre-TT Classic Road Races, sadly passed away.

As is customary on the Isle of Man, at the Billown Course the Southern 100 Motorcycle Club organizes the “Pre” and “Post” TT Road Races—reserved for classic bikes and more—on the eve of and following the Tourist Trophy. This was the case from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 with the 2026 edition of the Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races where, as every year, Alan Oversby was taking part.

The Bolton-le-Sands native had collected 16 victories at this meeting over his career, the last 2 just a few hours before a fatal crash that occurred on lap two of the 400cc race near the Ballakeighan section. Oversby died at the scene, and at 7:00 pm local time the organizer announced his passing, extending condolences to his wife Julie and his closest loved ones.

Today the Mountain Course will instead host the first practice sessions for the 2026 Isle of Man TT. On the (holiday) Spring Bank Holiday at 10:45 am local time, the newcomers (TT debutants) will complete a controlled-speed lap, followed from 11:00 am by the start of the first untimed practice with, in order, the Supersport, Sportbike, Sidecar, Superbike, and Superstock classes. The first qualifying sessions will begin at 2:15 pm local time with Supersport and Sportbike, followed by Sidecar (3:00 pm), and Superbike and Superstock (3:55 pm). The first races, specifically for Superstock and Sidecar, will take place on Saturday, May 30. On Corsedimoto you will find full coverage of the 2026 TT every day

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