Ragged edge - Stuart Barker

One week in June. One small island. Raw speed. High risk of fatalities. The Isle of Man TT motorcycle road race.

Five minutes to go. The 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.

Three minutes to go. For the first man on the road, hidden dangers exist. And he is the hare that the greyhounds will be chasing. Some racers tell their mechanics, 'I'll see you later for a pint' - just to reinforce the belief that they will.

One minutes to go. By the end of the first lap, riders will be howling past at 160pmh. And that's not even the fastest stretch. F1 drivers can crash spectacularly and walk away. Everyone knows that's not the case here.

Five seconds. No more time for nerves, for doubts. The TT has begun. How it will end, no-one knows.

Ragged Edge is the definitive story of this unique event, from the tarmac up. The history, the atmosphere, the heroes and tragedies. This is the raw truth behind the world's most dangerous sporting event - in the words of those who ride it.