Flashback to 1967 – The Diamond Jubilee Isle of Man TT, the second round of that year's motorcycle 500cc Grand Prix world championships.
Mike Hailwood on his ill-handling but powerful Honda RC 181 and Giacomo Agostini on his more nimble MV Agusta triple duelled around the mountain circuit, taking their machines to the limit and raising the lap record above an average of 108mph for the first time. The battle was head to head, the crowd and a certain two year old were on the edge of their grass verge, witness to one of the greatest races the Island has ever seen. Hailwood was struggling with a loose twistgrip when, on the fifth lap, the chain on Ago's MV broke at Windy Corner while he was leading and the win was Hailwood's by default. I came home in the chair of mum's Triumph Bonneville outfit already a smitten would-be groupie of one very hot Italian racing star.