NEWSDESK
Chris Harris on the rostrum with runner-up Dave Meijerink, left, and third-placed Lukas Fienhage.
Picture: JESPER VELDHUIZEN
CHRIS Harris ditched the tag of the nearly man of recent times as a sensational final ride saw him snatch the title of European Grasstrack Champion in Tayac, France, on Saturday evening.
‘Bomber’ lived up to his name with an astonishing around-the-boards manoeuvre to overcome the challenges of Dutchman Dave Meijerink and Germany’s Lukas Fienhage, who had been the meeting’s dominant forces for most of the night.
Elsewhere, there was little cheer for British riders on show. Andrew Appleton, strongly fancied on his early season form, shed a chain in his opening ride, which left him too much ground to make up, though to the 2010 champion’s credit he got going late on to win his final heat and the C-final.
Jaimon Lidsey, inside, and Maciej Janowski battle it out during Wroclaw’s PGE Ekstraliga visit to Grudziadz last Friday night. Picture: JAREK PABIJAN
R Play-off race is on
OUND 10 of the Polish top tier produced a couple of surprising outcomes and, for the time being, the number of clubs that cannot be certain of their play-off berth has grown to five.
Paul Cooper and Charley Powell, the latter suffering a late spill, could not get to grips with the difficult track conditions and filled the last two places in the standings.
By WOJTEK SZOLTYSEK
In fact, only Lublin, Gorzow and Wroclaw can safely prepare for the decisive part of the season, while the remaining five sides still have much to prove.
The French track proved testing for all riders throughout. It had been covered in plastic sheeting for much of the week leading up to the championship because of heavy rain in the area. Consequently, it was dry and slick for the most part with one or two softer patches. It was an advantage to be drawn
Bottom club Leszno are in a very difficult position after a massive loss at Zielona Gora. Even the return of Janusz Kolodziej didn’t help Unia’s cause, as they lost 53-37 to Falubaz, who secured an overall win and a bonus point after Heat 13.
Leszno now get some welcome respite because this weekend doesn’t feature any PGE Ekstraliga meetings due to the SoN in Manchester, which gives injured stars Damian Ratajczak and Andzejs Lebedevs a little more time to recuperate fully for the last four rounds of the regular season in which they hope to make the most of three home fixtures.
Lindback tests positive
As for Zielona Gora and Grudziadz, both tipped to be embroiled in a fight to avoid relegation, they gained much deserved wins last weekend – but it doesn’t guarantee them anything.
As Krzysztof Cegielski said: “These two clubs have some piece of mind now but their calendar in the last four rounds is much more demanding, so nothing is certain.”
It’s very likely that the battle in the lower half of the table will only intensify as the season progresses, with the Leszno v Grudziadz fixture on July 21 of seemingly growing importance.
But many pundits believe that a few more surprises, typified by league leaders Lublin’s loss at Torun last Sunday, could still shake things up…
n FULL POLISH COVERAGE FROM PAGE 39
IT has been reported that ADHD medication is to blame for 39-year-old Swedish star Antonio Lindback failing a drugs test.
A press release issued on Lindback’s behalf stated: “Antonio Lindback has been diagnosed with ADHD and therefore takes medication to alleviate the symptoms.
“ADHD medication is classified as doping and therefore Antonio has a dispensation from the FIM to use the medication.
“After a doping test in May, a test has now indicated a reaction from the ADHD medication. Antonio Lindback is now suspended pending an investigation.”
Lindback’s Swedish league club Rospiggarna has vowed to stand by him. The former Cardiff GP winner also rides in Poland for third tier Landshut.
Brazilian-born Lindback has been one of Sweden’s top riders over the past 20 years, since winning the 2004 European Under19 title. He went on to gain two World Cup gold medals for his country (in 2004 and 2015) as well as winning three individual SGPs, at Terenzano and Torun in 2012 and Cardiff in 2016, in 110 appearances at elite level.
In Britain, he spent three full seasons in Poole colours (200306 plus a one-off appearance in 2016), winning two doubles with the Dorset club, and had a spell at Belle Vue (2007).
EURO out wide on the track and getting out of the start was generally a must, though a number of different racing lines emerged as the evening progressed.
Harris was later than most to the party, his speedway commitments with Glasgow at Scunthorpe on Friday night meaning the bikes were sent on ahead with his team, while he caught a flight to France as soon as he was able. Even so, he missed first practice, making up for it in the second session where he served notice that he was going to be quick.
However, drawn one from the outside in the opening heat, Harris hit problems late in the race but had the presence of mind to push home for what would prove to be a crucial point. As it turned out, failure to have done so would have cost Harris an automatic spot in the night’s finale.
His compatriot Appleton endured even worse luck when a chain snapped, ending his race early. Dane Kenneth Hansen avoided all such dramas to take maximum points.
Fienhage and Meijerink were the other leg one winners, the latter getting the better of compatriot and reigning champion Romano Hummel. It would prove a high point for Hummel, whose defence went downhill rapidly as he struggled to adapt to the conditions.
Jordan Dubernard gave the home support something to cheer in race four, winning ahead of Henry van der Steen in a race in which Powell’s bike
4 speedway star June 1, 2024
