With under a week to go before the bike festival begins, preparations are well underway for this year’s North West 200.<br />Northern Ireland’s largest sporting event returns to the north coast from May 5–10 and is expected to draw thousands of visitors from around the world.<br /><br />Hospitality marquees, spectator stands, and safety fencing have already been erected, while work continues at the Portstewart pits and the start/finish line. Official event programmes are now also on sale as excitement builds for race week.