Peter Hickman has picked out some of the riders he will have to beat at next month's fonaCAB North West 200.
The countdown is well underway for the international road race extravaganza which runs from May 12-18.
Hickman became the World's Fastest Road Racer following his blistering lap at last year's Isle of Man TT.
The Burton on Trent rider set the new outright lap record of 135.452mph on his way to winning the Senior TT, eclipsing Dean Harrison’s previous record set at the 2017 Ulster Grand Prix.
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Hickman will be hoping to showcase that speed at the NW200, but he knows he won't get it all his own way.
And he believes there will be some familiar faces vying for supremacy along the Triangle circuit.
"I think the men to watch will be the same people I have been up against every year at the North West," he said.
"Alastair Seeley, Glenn Irwin, Michael Dunlop and Dean Harrison will all be strong.
"Alastair has won a lot of North Wests and he will probably be the strongest as he is on the Ducati V4. He has got to start as favourite."
Hickman clinched his maiden North West 200 victory last year in Thursday’s Superstock race in 2018 before going on to win the Superstock and Senior TTs.
The 32-year-old will ride BMW S1000RRs for the Smith’s Racing team in both the Superbike and Superstock events at the North West, plus a Trooper Beer Triumph in the Supersport races.
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"I will have done the opening two BSB rounds before I come to the North West so I should be up to speed and ready to go hopefully," he added.
"It was really cool to get my first North West win.
"I have been close a few times in Supersport and stocker races but it hadn’t happened and then it all came together last year."
His appearance at the North West will be the start of Hickman’s road racing season in 2019.
"I haven’t ridden my BMW stocker or the 675cc Triumph since last year’s Ulster Grand Prix and although I have ridden the Superbike it wasn’t on the roads," he explained.
"Last year the bikes were the same as the year before, making it easier, but this time around the BMW have a new model and that will probably make things harder."
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