Winning at North West 200 'getting harder every year' says top contender Richard Cooper
Richard Cooper has won five times at the North West 200 since his debut in 2019 but the English rider says reaching the number one spot at the north coast road race is becoming increasingly more difficult.
The Nottingham rider clinched his first victory in the Supersport class at the event in 2024 after four previous triumphs in the Supertwin races on Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki.
Cooper, a former double British Superstock 1000 champion, had to settle for the runner-up spot last year in the Supertwin class behind Peter Hickman’s Swan Yamaha, but he will be back in Portrush in May to stake his claim for more wins around the 8.9-mile course on ex-racer Farquhar’s Kawasaki and Alistair Russell’s BPE Yamaha R6 Supersport machine.
Cooper won four races at Saturday’s opening Ulster Superbike round at Bishopscourt in Co Down with a double in the Supertwin and Supersport classes for his Northern Ireland team bosses, but it’s on the big stage at the North West (May 7-10) where he really wants to shine once more.
“Everyone wants to win,” Cooper said.
“It is getting harder every year but if I have a chance of getting on to the podium then I have a chance of winning.
“I’ve finished on the podium in every class I’ve raced in during each season that I have competed at the North West since I made my debut in 2019.
“I won a Supersport race here last year and that is, in my view, the hardest race to win at the North West.
“I’d love to win another one this year. But it almost always comes down to Juniper chicane on the last lap and I’ll be very surprised if that isn’t the same this year.”
The 42-year-old visited the North West 200 course last week and inspected the new road layout between University Corner and the Ballysally Roundabout in the company of Race Director Mervyn Whyte.
The changes were implemented to accommodate a new cycle lane and Cooper feels speeds will increase on that section of the course.
He said: “I think it will make that section faster, opening up University corner and making the roundabout smoother.”
Opening practice for the Briggs Equipment North West 200 takes place on Wednesday, May 7.