Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1547449
10, the Matchless had dragged us all the way to a rostrum finish at Goodwood. This was the stuff of dreams. A laurel around my neck, a cigar in my mouth, hugging anyone unfor- tunate enough to be close by, and sharing a podium with McGuin- ness, who finished second. If I'm dreaming, I don't want to wake up. Stuart had poured countless hours into building and preparing the bike, and it had been faultless all weekend. Not temperamental. Not incontinent. Not even mildly offended by the mechanical abuse we handed it. For a classic racing motorcycle, that practically qualifies it for sainthood. The Goodwood Revival is one of the great racing events of the British calendar and standing on the podium in front of family and friends was overwhelming. It was an experience that will take some beating. CN ride to sixth, a polite wave at the crowd and an early cup of tea. Instead, I was riding every lap like I'd stolen the bike and could hear the cops behind me. With two laps remaining, I set a personal best. The pit wall became even more frantic. I lost the front twice and was on the limit. Eventually, the checkered flag appeared. The team was ecstatic, jumping around on the pit wall. I assumed we'd finished fifth but as I exited the chicane on the cooldown lap and headed towards parc ferme, the mar- shals stopped me and directed me toward the start-finish area. Hang on. Why was I going there? Because we'd finished third. With two laps remaining, former World Superbike con- tender Eugene Laverty had re- tired from third place, promoting us from fourth onto the podium. Somehow, after starting the second stint just inside the top another one would be more than respectable. Sensible, even. Then the pit board appeared: "SEND IT," it said. So much for sensible. That meant revving the long- suffering Matchless all the way to its 6500 rpm redline, hanging onto every gear and pushing every braking marker until it became less of a marker and more of a vague suggestion. The old girl was giving absolutely everything. Next on the road was TT ace Nathan Harrison, and I began closing him down. Meanwhile, teammate Stuart, his brother Si- mon—our brilliantly talented me- chanic—and the rest of the crew had become highly animated on the pit wall. Every time I crossed the line, they waved, pointed and generally behaved as though the paddock was on fire. The mes- sage was clear: stop admiring the scenery and get on with it. I'd been hoping for a relax- ing final stint. Perhaps a gentle (Below) Winners (or in this case, third-place finishers) are grinners as Chad (left) and Stuart (right) accept the spoils. (Right) The bike owner gives Chad a lift to the podium. It's the best cigar Chad's ever had. P108 RIDE REVIEW I GOODWOOD REVIVAL 2026