Bol d'Or: Honda TT Legends challenge ends with blown engine

The Honda TT Legends have been forced to retire from the 2013 Bol d’Or after completing almost 19hrs of the 24hr race, after a split heat exchanger caused their engine to blow.

The team had challenged for a podium position earlier in the race, running as high as third as they diced with Yamaha Austria and National Motos Honda.

They then slipped back to fourth and then fifth, as they were passed by the factory Suzuki team as they came back from two crashes. They then settled into a rhythym through the night, maintaining a good pace.

First light saw Michael Dunlop up the pace again, setting the team’s fastest lap of the race at 7am.

However, misfortune soon struck, as Dunlop was forced to pit with what the team believed to be a split water hose. McGuinness replaced him on the bike before he too was forced in, where the team realised it was the heat exchanger that was split.

Believing the problem to be fixed, they then sent McGuinness back out on the bike, but the problem soon returned, overheating the machine and causing the engine to blow dramatically.

The team will now contest the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT before their next endurance event, the Suzuka 8hr, in late July.