THREE years after having victory wrenched from his grasp in two races, Gavin Lee believes he is ready to challenge again for an elusive TT victory in the Isle of Man.

The road-racing ace from Netley Abbey near Southampton begins a two-pronged bid for glory in next Monday's 250cc TT aboard the Dennis Trollope Yamaha on which he has been a consistent top-six runner in the British Championship through early summer.

Lee admits the bike is a fraction down on the power of the factory-backed Hondas who will form his main opposition in the Island next week, but he says: "My bike's a bit down on mid-range acceler-ation com-ing out of slower corners, but there aren't too many of them in the Isle of Man.

"The Yamaha should be a lot more com-petitive over there than it is in the British Championship races, particularly the 125 which handles well and will hopefully give me a real chance of victory in next Wednesday's 125cc TT.

The Southampton man accepts that the 250 will be tougher, particularly with the likes of Joey Dunlop, John McGuinnes, Sean Harris and Ian Lougher on factory, or fac-tory supported Hondas.

"The Hondas sit better on the road than my Yamaha which is a bit lighter and bounces around a bit more, particularly on road circuits," says Lee.

"We have been working to get the handling of the bike better so I have more of a chance in Monday's event."

Back in 1996, aboard a Honda, Lee led through the early stages of the 250TT before a snapped footrest put him out. Later that same week, he led the 125 race only for the mountain mists to descend on the final lap when the veteran Joey Dunlop, who they say could ride the 37-mile TT course blind-folded, stole past and relegat-ed him to second place.

Since then a badly injured arm and uncompetitive machinery have kept Lee out of the limelight although last year he was lying second to Joey's younger brother Robert Dunlop in the 125cc race in the Isle of Man when the fates again worked against him.

An oil leak put him out at the end of the second lap but Lee says: "The bike I have this year is much better and although Robert will be confident of winning again, I should give him a better run for his money."

Lee's sponsor Dennis Trollope has pro-vided him with a Yamaha R6 for Wednesday's Junior TT and in total he'll be doing four races on the Island, starting with the 250 next Monday, the 125 and Junior on Wednesday and the Senior TT on Friday.

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