What The Papers Say

[Steve Shovlar]

Here's the report in the Telegraph.

 

Tony Rickardsson produced one of the greatest races of his trophy-laden career to sweep to victory in the British Grand Prix and take a massive stride towards a record-equalling sixth world title.

 

The Swede's spectacular wall-of-death burst around the outside of the second turn in the final launched him down the back straight yards clear of Poland's Jarek Hampel and two Danes, Bjarne Pedersen and Hans Andersen.

 

The audacity and courage of Rickardsson's move was the conclusive act at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday, and may prove to be the defining moment of this year's campaign. With four of the nine rounds completed, Rickardsson has 95 points, 32 more than the nearest challenger, reigning champion Jason Crump.

 

"I ride between 500 and 600 races a season and that was the best corner of my life," said Rickardsson, 34. "I was thinking of the speed you will get if you can ride on the fence. I clipped the fence four or five times, but, in front of 40,000 people, it's amazing the stupid things you do!"

 

Rickardsson took his first world crown in 1994 and his most recent in 2002, and it seems only a matter of months before he joins Ivan Mauger as a six-time champion. He was typically reluctant to contemplate history but admitted he is riding better than ever.

 

He said: "I only live in the now, I'm not very good at thinking about what I've done before. I just want to be world champion this year. But I have more control of the bike than I've ever had, I'm smoother round the corner. I have lifted my whole game up."

 

The path ahead could hardly look rosier after dismal nights for his two main rivals. Crump was left fuming after three exclusions - two highly contentious - scarred his five rides, while 2003 champion Nicki Pedersen also failed to reach the semi-finals.

 

Coventry's Scott Nicholls led the home challenge, winning two heats but then falling while third in his semi-final. Lee Richardson, of Swindon, won one of the races of the night when he came out on top in a riveting duel with Pedersen. Eastbourne wild-card David Norris, harshly excluded for bringing down Rickardsson in his first ride, had his moment of glory later when he cut inside Crump to effectively eliminate him.

Edited June 13, 2005 by Steve Shovlar

[AmberCelt]

Here's the report in the Telegraph.

 

Tony Rickardsson produced one of the greatest races of his trophy-laden career to sweep to victory in the British Grand Prix and take a massive stride towards a record-equalling sixth world title.

 

The Swede's spectacular wall-of-death burst around the outside of the second turn in the final launched him down the back straight yards clear of Poland's Jarek Hampel and two Danes, Bjarne Pedersen and Hans Andersen.

 

The audacity and courage of Rickardsson's move was the conclusive act at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday, and may prove to be the defining moment of this year's campaign. With four of the nine rounds completed, Rickardsson has 95 points, 32 more than the nearest challenger, reigning champion Jason Crump.

 

"I ride between 500 and 600 races a season and that was the best corner of my life," said Rickardsson, 34. "I was thinking of the speed you will get if you can ride on the fence. I clipped the fence four or five times, but, in front of 40,000 people, it's amazing the stupid things you do!"

 

Rickardsson took his first world crown in 1994 and his most recent in 2002, and it seems only a matter of months before he joins Ivan Mauger as a six-time champion. He was typically reluctant to contemplate history but admitted he is riding better than ever.

 

He said: "I only live in the now, I'm not very good at thinking about what I've done before. I just want to be world champion this year. But I have more control of the bike than I've ever had, I'm smoother round the corner. I have lifted my whole game up."

 

The path ahead could hardly look rosier after dismal nights for his two main rivals. Crump was left fuming after three exclusions - two highly contentious - scarred his five rides, while 2003 champion Nicki Pedersen also failed to reach the semi-finals.

 

Coventry's Scott Nicholls led the home challenge, winning two heats but then falling while third in his semi-final. Lee Richardson, of Swindon, won one of the races of the night when he came out on top in a riveting duel with Pedersen. Eastbourne wild-card David Norris, harshly excluded for bringing down Rickardsson in his first ride, had his moment of glory later when he cut inside Crump to effectively eliminate him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

From the Western Mail

Moto: Millennium magic for Rickardsson Jun 13 2005

 

 

 

 

Staff Reporter, Western Mail

 

 

FIVE-TIME world champion Tony Rickardsson hailed the Millennium Stadium as speedway's equivalent of Monaco after clinching his second FIM British Grand Prix success on Saturday evening.

 

The 34-year-old Swede, who now looks odds-on to match the record of six world titles set by the legendary Kiwi Ivan Mauger, produced a sensational display in the final to see off the Czech Jaroslaw Hampel and the Danes Bjarne Pedersen and Hans Andersen.

 

He missed the start but then flirted with disaster on the outside line to surge to the front and hold on for the win - his third in four Grand Prix this season - and move 32 points clear at the top of the world championship standings.

 

And all this after he had started the evening in the dirt after he was taken out by Britain's David Norris in his first race of the meeting - watched by almost 40,000 fans.

 

"I felt I was struggling a little in the middle of the meeting and was getting slower and slower, while the rest of the boys were getting faster and faster.

 

"I then changed back to the bike I used in my first race and it worked better. As for the final, I have been riding for 15 years, doing between 500 and 600 races a season, and I am now 34, but I think I did the best first corner of my life. I just put my back wheel against the fence and it worked perfectly.

 

"Once again, it was a fantastic show at Cardiff, and it has become what Monaco is for the Formula One drivers. I am very happy to have finished the meeting standing on top of the rostrum again, and my aim now is simple, to win as many of the remaining GPs as I can."

 

Rickardsson's night was even sweeter as two of his big rivals for the title, defending world champion Jason Crump and the 2003 winner Nicki Pedersen, both failed to make the top eight and the semi-finals.

 

Aussie Crump left the stadium in a rage after being excluded in three of his five qualifying races by controversial Polish referee Marek Wojaczek.

 

Britain's big hope Scott Nicholls did make the semi-finals after winning two of his five races, but, after a poor start, he had to throw caution to the wind and put his bike into the dirt.

 

"It wasn't the result I wanted for me or the fans, but I did my best and I can't ask any more than that," said Nicholls.

[JT]

Nice to see the Times on Saturday with a two page spread on speedway including photographs of track construction, the Daily Mail also had an article with a picture on Antonio Lindback.

 

Surely the Sun had a big spread on Saturday as they sponsored the event?

[Hazzman]

The Sun had four average sized articles in the build-up and have another today with Rickardsson and a picture proudly displaying Rickardsson on his bike with a Sun logo upon it.

 

Have the nationals started listen to our calls?

[shazzybird]

Nice one! more pictures for the kids speedway wall that he has started to build up of Rickardsson

[skelly]

The Sun had four average sized articles in the build-up and have another today with Rickardsson and a picture proudly displaying Rickardsson on his bike with a Sun logo upon it.

 

Have the nationals started listen to our calls?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lets hope the Nationals have finally woken up but, the pic in my copy of the Sun was of Hans Andersen.

[Sandie]

I dont buy any paper so I dont know what they say

BUT

I have suddenly remembered that on the way into the stadium some woman asked us (Nikki and myself) if we wouldnt mind having our photo taken in front of the stadium for the local papers. We had our Pink Cowboy hats on!!

Any one on here see the local rag? I want to know if I am famous!!!

[Hackett]

Most of the press has followed similar coverage basing the article around Lindback and his asoption ...sounds like the Seabiscuit of speedway after the Times had written about him on friday .

 

Saturday featured a good article on the track and how much shale was shipped in.

[Subedei]

From today's The Independent:

 

Rickardsson’s dream ride gives him inside track to world title.

 

By Peter Oakes

 

Tony Rickardsson left Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium with the British Grand Prix title in his pocket – and a record-equalling sixth world crown in his sights.

The Swede moved what should be an insurmountable 32 points ahead of the defending champion Jason Crump after his third GP victory in the first four rounds.

He left 38,640 fans talking about his last race heroics in which he swept past three rivals with his back wheel almost cutting a groove in the fence.

The former Poole captain described it as his greatest first corner, explaining: “I have been dreaming that you could actually ride on the fence but I never had the courage to do it.

“When there are nearly 40,000 fans cheering it’s amazing what stupid things you can do and it’s the most amazing thing I have ever done and the best lap I have ever done in my life.

“There was a bit of motocross, a bit of velodrome racing and a bit of speedway in that one. It was the best first corner in my whole career; I’m so happy.”

There might have been joy for Rickardsson but there was only despair for Crump, excluded from three of his first five races, and the British challenge.

The Great Britain captain Scott Nicholls raised hopes as he reached the penultimate race for the first time this season but then they crashed as he spun around in his semi-final.

He was the last British survivor in another disappointing GP which still leaves Cardiff waiting to salute a domestic champion.

Lee Richardson struggled to finish in 13th place and the wild card David Norris never recovered from the first disqualification of a controversial night when he was adjudged to have caused Rickardsson’s heat three fall and reserves Edward Kennett and Simon Stead mustered only one point between them