The Vauxhall International North West 200 will have a very special visitor from America this year with 2015 Pike’s Peak race winner, JD Mosleyset to make his debut at Portrush.

The Mississippi man won the Middleweight classat the fearsome Colorado hill climb event last June which has attracted stars like Guy Martin.Now the 26 year old, who has been racing bikes since he was eight years old, is set to take on the challenge of the North West 200 on a Amore Moto R6 Yamaha .

“Winning Pikes Peak should help me get into it." the Greenville resident says as he look forward to his debut at the sea side event.

It is hard to imagine just how much Mosley’s solitary road racing experience to date will help him prepare for the famous Triangle circuit.

One thing will be similar-“You've got scenery that is ridiculously beautiful," Mosley says of the mountain event- but after that there will be few similarities between the North West and the Colorado race which covers 12.4-milesand climbs almost 5000 feet as it negotiates 156 corners.At the peak, the available oxygen is 40 percent less than it is at sea level.

"At those altitudes with the lack of oxygen, you can get confused real fast," Mosley says. "That's the last thing you want when you're going as fast as we are."

Altitude sickness should not be a problem for the former winner of the Road Atlanta championship at Portrush but staying in the wheel tracks of Seeley, Dunlop and Co will offer a stern challenge for the visitor.