Ragged Edge

<p<bOne week in June. One small island. 40,000 annual visitors. Raw speed. Numerous annual deaths. The Isle of Man TT motorcycle road race. </b<br<br<bFive minutes to go.</bThe claxon sounds, harsh as an air raid siren. Television crews attempt last-minute interviews with riders. The thousand yard-stares give it away: they're really not listening now. <br<br<bFour minutes to go.</bThe grandstand is packed. Some racers tell their mechanics, 'I'll see you later for a pint' - just to make themselves believe they will.<br<br<bThree minutes to go. </bFor the first man on the road, hidden dangers exist. He will have no-one to follow. And he is the hare that the greyhounds will be chasing. <br<br<bTwo minutes to go.</bBy the end of the first lap, riders will be howling past faster than a bullet from the barrel of a gun. A full 160pmh. And that's not even the fastest part of the course.<br<br<bOne minute to go.</bThe atmosphere is palpably tense. It's like no other sporting event on earth. Formula 1 drivers can crash spectacularly and just walk away. Everyone knows that's not the case here. <br<br<bFive seconds.</bThe starter raises the chequered flag, ready to snap down. No more time for nerves, for doubts. The race has started. How it will end, no-one knows. The TT has begun. <br<br<bIn <iRagged Edge</i, Stuart Barker will write the definitive story of this unique event, from the tarmac up. The history, the atmosphere, the heroes, tragedies and legends. And most importantly: our fascination with this seductive yet perilous test of skill and daring. This is the unvarnished, raw truth behind the world's most dangerous sporting event - in the words of those who ride it.</b</p