French biker Franck Petricola has been killed during a qualifying session for the Isle of Man TT races.
Petricola, 32, from Pont a Mousson, died on Wednesday night after an accident at Sulby Crossroads during the qualifying session of the TT fortnight.
It would have been the first race at the track for the Frenchman, who was due to make his TT debut last year but pulled out after being badly injured at the North West 200 race in Northern Ireland.
He suffered multiple fractures and a head injury and was in a coma for several days, but recovered fully to take part in the this year's event last month ahead of the TT races.
The organisers of the event said in a statement: "Petricola was a regular competitor in the IRRC Championship and enjoyed his best season in 2013 with 11th overall in the Superbike category.
"His best result, sixth, came at Chimay and he ended the year strongly with six successive top ten finishes and took a brace of thirds in the Lightweight Races at Horice and Terlicko."
The organisation passed on its "deepest sympathy to Franck's family and friends" and said the coroner has been informed and an investigation is under way.
The annual 37.73-mile motorcycle road race is one of the world's most prestigious biking events.
It is also still one of the world's most dangerous, with more than 200 recorded rider deaths since it first began in 1907.
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