Conor Cummins has pulled out of next week’s North West 200 to improve his chances of racing in the TT.

The 30-year-old Manxman broke his right hand in a qualifying accident at Donington Park last month and has been battling to get fit since.

The Padgett’s Honda team rider visited the surgeon who operated on his throttle hand on Tuesday and while everything was good, Conor admitted that the injury needed more time to heal.

’I could go to the North West and ride round but I want to be competitive and win races,’ he said yesterday.

The Ramsey man was scheduled to ride in the Superbike, Superstock and Supersport races at the North West, practice and qualifying for which begins on Tuesday.

Cummins broke the same wrist in 2012 at the NW200 when he was knocked off by Gary Johnson at Mather’s chicane.

Earlier today he tweeted: ’Making fantastic progress but don’t want to disturb that and not be 100 per cent for the TT.’