The Supersport machines are away on their warm-up lap.

1 Alastair Seeley

2 Richard Cooper

3 Dean Harrison

4 Michael Dunlop

5 Peter Hickman

6 Davey Todd

7 Lee Johnston DNS

8 Adam McLean

9 Mike Browne

10 Paul Jordan

Image source, Pacemaker

Richard Cooper ultimately showed his rivals a clean pair of heels to take victory in the opening Supertwins race of this years meeting.

KMR team boss Ryan Farquhar reflects on providing the bike which gave Richard Cooper his first North West 200 win today, 12 months after the pair had teamed up in the Supertwins class, only to be denied victory after their machine was excluded because of a technical infringement.

After four second-place finishes at last year's North West 200, Davey Todd finally stood on top of the podium again after Thursday's Supersport thriller.

He came out on top in a last-lap battle with Richard Cooper, Alastair Seeley, Michael Dunlop and Dean Harrison as the quintet raced millimetres apart across the six-lap race. That's not bad company to keep.

The lead changed several times before the Padgetts Honda rider made a decisive move on Cooper on the final lap to win and add to his 2019 Supersport victory.

"I got my head down, knew I was strong over the coast road and didn't want to make the same mistakes I made last year," Todd told BBC Sport NI.

"Twelve months ago I made mistakes that cost me the win when we had the speed to do it.

"When we are in the mix for the win I don't want to let that happen again.

"I've thought 12 months about the mistakes I made. My friends and girlfriend had to sit and watch the North West 200 replay with me over and over, and I'm sitting there getting angry at myself.

"I wasn't going to make the same mistakes again."

Image source, Pacemaker

Right, next up it's the Supersports and if Thursday is anything to go by then we are in for a treat.

KMR Kawasaki team boss Ryan Farquhar says up until last week he wasn't going to come to the North West 200 after last year's controversy which saw Richard Cooper retrospectively stripped of his Supertwin double for a technical infringement.

Farquhar appealed the decision and a final verdict has yet to be reached 12 months on.

"Richard had agreed to ride a Yamaha so things weren't falling into place that well," said Farquhar.

"I told him I wouldn't see him stuck. I'm here for Richard, I'm not here for myself.

"I just thought I'll stick a bike together here, we've done that and he's come and done the business."

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI at NW200

Twelve months after being stripped of his two Supertwins victories because of a technical infringement Richard Cooper is on the top step of the rostrum.

Cooper can add this North West 200 win to an already glittering CV which includes two British Superstock 1000cc titles, plus wins at the Sunflower Trophy meeting, the primary short circuit event in Northern Ireland.

The Nottingham rider remains the fastest ever newcomer at the North West after his impressive debut in 2019.

Already a multiple podium finisher over the Triangle before today, he'll have further chances to increase his win tally later in the Supersport race and the second Supertwin outing.

Supertwin winner Richard Cooper: "It was nice to get going, we've had a lot of stoppages. I gave myself a bit of time to get the temperature back into the tyres. Once I got into my groove I just going.

"I was really strong on the coast road. There's not much in it at the back but the coast road seems to be working really well so I made the most of that and it's a great way to start the day."

More satisfying after being stripped of last year's wins? "For myself, I accepted what happened and move on. Perhaps for Ryan [Farquhar] it's a bit difficult but I told him the best way to get over last year is to come back and try and win this year.

"He's built me a bike in a week to be here so this one is for him."

Adam McLean says he had a bit of a battle with Jeremy McWilliams into Juniper on the last lap.

McWilliams ran over the gravel as he tried to pass McLean, and Jordan was there to pick up the pieces to steal second.

He had the best seat in the house for that battle.

Outside of the front runners, that's a really impressive showing from Scotland's Kris Duncan in seventh and the USA's Cory West, on his debut, in 10th.

1 Richard Cooper

2 Paul Jordan

3 Adam McLean

4 Jeremy McWilliams

5 Peter Hickman

6 Joe Loughlin

7 Kris Duncan

8 Jamie Williams

9 Francesco Curinga

10 Cory West

Cooper is miles clear but there is drama behind!

Jordan, out of nowhere, appears ahead of McLean and McWilliams! We haven't seen what has happened but there must have been drama over the coast road!

So Cooper, Jordan, McLean and McWilliams are your top four!

Pure domination!

And McLean hits back into Mather's as they bounce about over the road.

They're just edging clear of Jordan for fourth.

McWilliams is back ahead of McLean for second into University.

McLean is looking for his first North West 200 podium and it will be a popular one if he can hold on!

Cooper is miles clear as they head towards Coleraine for the final time.

Adam McLean is holding off McWilliams for third, and Jordan is there ready to sweep up if there are any issues.

Cooper is now seven seconds (yes, you read that right) ahead as they move onto the final lap.

4:47.677! 112.251mph! That's two-and-a-half seconds inside the previous best from McWilliams last year.

McLean is now into second ahead of McWIlliams, but you can't rule Jordan out of a podium here.

After being tied together, it looks like four have become three as Cooper has pulled the pin and well clear out front.

It's anyone's guess as to who will be on the podium here - McWilliams, McLean and Jordan are all at it here.