Thomas Altendorfer is already counting down the hours until his Manx Grand Prix debut

If, as a road racer, you’d like to take part in the Tourist Trophy at some point, it doesn’t hurt to have competed in the Manx Grand Prix first. At this event, which was first held on the Isle of Man in 1923, you get a first taste of the infamous Snaefell Mountain Course. If you want to take part, you have to submit your application and hope to be accepted.

Current TT riders such as Jamie Coward, Dominic Herbertson, Michael Rutter, Lee Johnston and Michael Dunlop – who leads the all-time Tourist Trophy winners’ list by a wide margin with 36 victories – feature in the event’s roll of honour. The current fastest Central European rider on the over 60-kilometre-long course, the Austrian Julian Trummer, also took the detour via the Manx GP. In 2016, he finished second in the Newcomer race.

This year, Thomas ‘Uccio’ Altendorfer is also taking on this unique challenge. ‘One month. 30 days. 720 hours,’ says the two-time European Hillclimb runner-up, already counting down the hours. “In exactly one month’s time, the biggest challenge of my life so far begins – the Manx Grand Prix. Months of preparation, countless hours of training, setbacks and hard work are behind me. But now every single day counts.”

The 29-year-old Austrian from Walding, who has German road racing ace David Datzer – a riding coach with TT expertise – backing him up and an experienced team manager in Brian McCormack for his debut, is well aware, following his return from the Newcomer Weekend on the Isle of Man: “The next 30 days will demand everything from me once again. I’ll give it my all to ensure I’m as well prepared as possible when I line up at the start.”

Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix 2026 programme