꧑Peter Hickman has been declared the winner of the opening 2019 Isle of Man TT race following a red flag🧔 incident at Snugborough on Lap 3.

The Smiths Racing BMW rider had been leading the RST Superbike TT ahead of Dean Harrison by 0.690s on Lap 3 📖at Glen Helen when a red flag was show for a racing incไident at Snugborough.

Race direction opted to declare the race result 🔯at the end of Lap 2, half distance of the four-lap race, which sees Hickman take his third TT victory.

With Harrison taking second place on the Silicone Engineering 🥂Racing Kawasaki, Conor Cummins completed the podium in⛎ third place on the Milenco by Padgetts Honda, 11 seconds back on the leading duo.

Harrison had been leading the opening stages, pulling out a 4.8s lead at Ballaugh on Lap 2 before Hickman eroded the deficit to lead reaching thꦬe pit stops at the end of the lap. Exiting the pits Hickman had♍ a 1.782s lead over Harrison at the start of the Lap 3 before the red flag was shown shortly after.

Behind the podium trio, James Hillier has taken fourth place for Quattro Plant Kawasaki ahead of the ▨second Padgett Honda of Michael Rutter who fe🐠nded off Tyco BMW’s Michael Dunlop in the fight for fifth place.

John McGuinness was an early retirement for Norton at the end of Lap 1 due to an oil pressure issue, while Lee Johnston retired to the pits a🙈t the end of Lap 2.