North West 200: Rider fatality at road race named as Kamil Holan

The rider killed in an accident at the North West 200 on Thursday has been named as Kamil Holan, from the Czech Republic.

The crash occurred at Station Corner in the opening Superbike qualifying session on Thursday morning in Northern Ireland.

Holan, 48, is the first fatality at the North West 200 since Malachi Mitchell-Thomas was killed in a Supertwins race in 2016, and he is the 20th to lose their life in the 97-year history of the event.

Hefty74, Holan’s team, led tributes to the Czech rider, saying “above all he was a wonderful friend and a man of great character”.

“Kamil, you were an inspiration, support and a partner in life and on the track. Your humility, passion and smile will be missed every second,” Hefty74 posted on Facebook.

“Your legacy will live on in Hefty74 and in our hearts. We express our deepest and most sincere condolences to his entire family and all his loved ones”.

One of a number of international riders competing at the road race in Northern Ireland, Holan, who lived in Prague, first raced at the North West 200 in 2023.

His most notable victory came at the Manx Grand Prix in 2012, when he won the Newcomers ‘A’ race to become the first rider from the Czech Republic to win at the event.

Holan also raced at the Isle of Man TT and had a best finish of 20th in the 2018 Superbike race, and was a regular in European road racing.

In the most recent running of the Ulster Grand Prix in 2019, Holan had two 14th place finishes in the Supersport and Superstock classes.