iris123

It is a shame about the support.Peter Oakes i thought was going in the right direction by bringing a few youngsters over to Germany last year.But the Aussies don't seem to get any support either.In fact someone contacted me asking for details on behalf of Ksiezak,because they got no info from Australia.But the Aussies do seem to prosper despite that.But the trouble with continental experience is that how do most get it?The youngsters are so often needed at home at the weekend and if they missed a meeting you normally get all the moaners going on how they are missing a club meeting to ride in some tin-pot competition If you're lucky Kononov will be drawn at Rye The Russians certainly are coming

That is a great honour Like you and others say,these rounds are never easy,even when some or most of the riders are unknown.I would guess on any other track in the world Baumann would have scored half of what he got last night.He has been riding that track for a very long time now,even given his young age.Probably any other night he wouldn't have got quite so many points.I have seen him quite a bit and never seen him ride so strong as yesterday

If it wasn't for the two first heats when he had trouble he might have made it through.If he could of held off Robert Baumann in the one heat they would have both ended on 9 and Ben would have been in a run-off.He done well after a terrible start to battle away.It can't be easy mentally to have two e.f's and still keep on trying Fotos from the meeting

Great meeting in Güstrow.Lots of passing.Really is the best race track in North Germany. Troy won fairly comfortably.He had to work a bit in heat 12 to come past Tully and Brzozowski but he was untroubled in his other heats.The two Brits were a bit unlucky.Not sure what happened to Ben in his first two heats.Seen on inspeed that he had two punctures!In his first heat he was in 3rd place when he pulled up.In his second heat he was having a great race,in 2nd and i thought he got squeezed out by Baumann in the corner and gave up,but maybe he did have trouble.Andrew(and don't worry he was draped in the Saltire and the announcer said "Tully is not just from Britain,but he is something special,he is from Scotland!)had a great first heat.Last out of the gate but he went round the outside and eventually finished in second.He was also second at the time he had trouble in heat 13. Of the others Robert Ksiezak impressed me.He had a great battle with Kamil.Robert lead,then was passed but never gave up and it was a real close thing on the line.I thought he got it,but wasn't in as good a position as the ref.But the real star of the show excitement wise was the Russian youngster,Kononov.Wow!!!!!!What a racer.Never made a gate all night,but he picked his way through the field one after another in nearly every heat.Just the fall in the crunch heat 14 spoilt his night. The Germans...well Tobi is the current German U21 champ and can ride the track well.Still it was a bit of a surprise he done so well.But he had his heats won from the first bend onwards.Baumann is a Güstrow rider so knows the track better than most.Probably the best result of his career so far i would guess.Battled away for his points,as did the youngest rider in the field Erik Pudel.Couldn't quite get it all together,but at 17 he has plenty of chances to go further.

Live updates from Güstrow(Tully + Ksiezak)should be here from about 19:15 your time.Looking forward to this one.Although i think Troy should win fairly easily,the other places are not easy to predict.Apart from maybe the two French riders finishing last

Go Kevin!!!

Why is Ludvig missing here,does anyone know? Was looking forward to seeing him again.Anyway will be interesting to see Dennis again.I remember how good he looked in the YGT at Skaerbaek a couple of years back

The winner of any GP is the winner of that GP.Super or not.

Give one of them the place at Cardiff seeing as all the "world class" Brits are already in it

Hopefully everything went well Let's hope this was the start of more coverage from Denmark. Was saying i thought the young Swedish riders would dominate the Nordic U19 meeting in Fjelsted.Only Patrick Hougaard (who should win the meeting)i was thinking will get through from the Danes.Jacqueline said to look at the form of Patrick Nørgaard.Well having seen him a number of times over the years he always seems to be just below that sort of level.But he did impress last night,so maybe Jacky could be right and more than one Dane goes through to Stralsund.Then again i remember seeing Klindt,Hougaard and Møller in Malmö and they seemed to leave their form on the Danish side of the bridge.Similar with the Swedish riders in Esbjerg that year.So maybe the small distance across the sea might make for some surprises. Holsted v Brovst pics

Seems Nicki has criticized the track and Ole has answered the critics Need someone to translate though

Well yes,it was a commercial decision.It was stated in the German press early on that if enough Germans bought tickets for the GP then there would be a good chance of a german wc.So i guess it did work

We live in a world where money talks.What i am suggesting is if there are two riders of fairly equal ability,then other factors may and probably will be taken into consideration.That is what wildcards are about.Why did Robert Barth get a wildcard for the Czech GP a few years ago?Your not going to tell me it was because of his form on a speedway track are you?

Poetic licence.Trying to make it sound dramatic.He is Superman after all

Don't think it is a cut and dry as some think.Kenneth is anyway second reserve for the GPs.He imo only missed out on qualifying outright because he was poleaxed by Lindgren and wrongly excluded in the Grand Final at Vojens.Plus as i pointed out in the recent Danish Final(1st round) in the head to head,he beat the other two contenders.And just maybe he has bigger sponsors than Mads.Something that someone like Olsen would surely take into consideration. Saying that,i do feel for Mads.He has made great strides this season.And if he is in favour with Stekkers,should be able to be in contention for a place in the Danish SWC side

Well he was in the gym cycling yesterday So not even Ole Olsen would go against Superman

According to my programme in heat 15(which was effectively the wildcard decider)the result was:1.N.Pedersen,2.K.Bjerre,3.C.Gjedde,4.M.Korneliussen Ok Mads had more heat wins but they both finished on 11 points and head to head Kenneth won.Maybe they could have sent them both/all out again for a run-off,like the crazy run-off for the GP quali spots that wasn't neccesary

And i guess todays news that Olsen has over-ruled Jan Steachmanns choice of wildcard for Parken is proof of the pudding,so to speak. Making no comment on Mr Rising as i may need a press pass or 2

I think you are correct with this.Bryn has mentioned this press conference before,but i imagine a scenario just like you state was happening. Anyway the "offficial" version of events as written out by Mr Rising were in an article in the German GP programme with the heading ... One man's dream.Philip Rising talks to the man whose determination and foresight brought the FIM Speedway GP to life. Maybe Bryn could take a guess at who that man is?

Well i think it is that commitee of 3 that rubber stamp the wildcard.That is what Ole said in an interview in the German speedway mag last year

And stuck at the gate in the run-off.Ferjan rode alone to win

A run-off for first place. Apparently Tobi was in the lead in his heat then had bike trouble

Sure a number of people know what Ole's position is Olsen not only sorts out the track,he picks the wildcards.I would guess he is employed by the FIM.But that is a guess

Oooh Germany from 2 behind now lead by 3 after 20 heats

Yes 9 last places from 10 heats.Only lucky Latvia are a rider short so they still pick up some points.Sad for such a great speedway nation