Triple World Superbike Champion, Jonathan Rea, combined a training ride on his bicycle with some TT spectating at Harold Leece’s on Monday.

He is pictured, third from right, having a cuppa with a group of local cyclists and RST Motorcycle Clothing founder, reigning British Thundersport Supertwin champion Jonny Towers, far right.

The latter has been a house guest of Jonathan and his wife Tatia in Castletown this week.

Towers was the official starter of the RST Superbike race on Saturday (as sponsor). He borrowed Cal Crutchlow’s hard-worked Specialized Tarmac for a few days, but said that he had to spend two hours cleaning it before he went out on it. Buck your ideas up Cal!

Jonathan left for this weekend’s round of the Superbike World Championship at Brno in the Czech Republic yesterday.

His father, Johnny Rea, competed in the TT between 1983 and 1994. He won the Supersport (600cc Junior TT) in 1989 on a Yamaha at an average speed of 112.12mph, and claimed second place behind fellow Ulsterman Brian Reid in the same race the following year.

John Rea, Johnny’s father (Jonathan’s grandfather) was Joey Dunlop’s first major sponsor in the 1970s.

Brought up immersed by road racing, Jonathan admits that he loves the TT but has absolutely no ambitions to race on the Mountain Course himself. ’I thoroughly admire what the riders do round here, but it’s not for me,’ he admits. ’I’m happy to sit and watch.’

SIXTH FOR CRUTCHLOW

AT MUGELLO GP

After having a hot lap disallowed in qualifying for exceeding track limits, Ramsey resident Cal Crutchlow started from the middle of the third row in the Gran Premio d’Italia in Mugello on Sunday.

He made up a place at the start but, with difficult track conditions, tyre choice was critical. With a handful of riders crashing out in the first two laps, staying on his LCR Honda and keeping in touch with the pack was always going to be a tough fight.

Jorge Lorenzo on the Ducati, along with team-mate Andrea Dovizioso, broke away from the following six riders who then battled it out for the last place on the podium.

Crutchlow managed to catch and pass Danilo Petrucci to bring his Honda home in sixth place, first of the Independents.

Crutchlow took valuable points and closed the gap slightly on Johann Zarco (Monster Tech 3 Yamaha) in the race to be top independent rider.

The Coventry-raised rider heads to Barcelona next week for the Spanish GP at Catalunya.