Italian Grand Prix - Lonigo

[Splatty]

Oh quit your moaning. I didn't get to see any of it and I'm happy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I have to agree with trees - the fact that it has been cut short for Tennis highlights - which was also the reason it started late does not reflect the viewing figures and consequently the standing within the Sky listings.......very poor for the finale - i'm sure Ch4 will cover it in a couple of week's time though

[Subedei]

And for those of us who think the GPs are becoming a closed shop, 7 of the top 8 in the standings are the same as last year. The sole change is BP replacing Hampel.

[AndyM]

Couldn't have put it better myself, Subedei. Time for a change or the GP will stagnate - much as the competition in F1 has been much improved through breaking the Ferrari monopoly. But how....?

[HenryW]

But surely the top 8 is remaining reltively static because these guys are the best in World. The very best doesn't change very much from year to year, just look at the top few in the EL averages over the years....

 

Would you prefer that they shoved in riders that were worse than these guys just to mix things up?

 

Maybe Tony, Jason, Leigh and Nicki could be left out next year....that would stop things from "stagnating".

[Gemini]

It's this awful track.

Hancock just poodled around, made no special effort. But the track gifted him an undeserved 2nd. Richardson tried for a win, made no mistake but the track punished him for his efforts. It's an awful track. It's an awful GP. Probably the worst in memory.

This is dire. I wish Sky had stuck with the tennis.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Subedei you don't have to keep this up any longer. Steve Shovlar is back now to take over his spot again of number one wind up merchant.

Personally I thought it was a brilliant G.P. with passing in nearly all of the races.

Great stuff.

[rabbit]

Cracking GP and everything a meeting should be. It kept us guessing the entire time. Absolutely brilliant and a great advert for speedway and a sock in the eye for the 'it's over by the first bend' critics. It was a meeting where riders had to think about what they were doing rather than just gate and wind on the throttle. Anyone who ever says slick tracks don't produce great meetings need only to look at this for reference.

 

Couple of points. Firstly Tricky fully deserved his win. Total domination and quality performance. Secondly - full credit for Scotty - on his clash with Bjarne - his reaction to run over and lift the bike off Barney was the mark of a great sportsman. Good on ya!

 

Wasn't expecting much from tonight to be honest, but have to say it was probably one of the best GPs in the series. If they run at Lonigo next year, I will be there. Ciao baby!

[Subedei]

Well, I'm sticking to my guns. Worst GP of the year by miles and miles and miles.

[rabbit]

Fine Sube - that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. I just hate speedway by numbers and that's why I loved it. Meetings won on the fastest engine leave me cold - I'd ratter riders used their skill and cunning to pass, and capitalise on others mistakes if they make them. It was the same for everyone and after the first round of heats everyone knew how the track was riding. You made your own luck out there tonight and only the strong survived. That's what I pay my money for - if I didn't I'd sit at home and call every race.

[Fat Tractor Man]

Chivs didn,t realise u had internet access in Lonigo.

Have just had a fun check on predictions comp and there are some interesting results.

Tell Sue she scored 10 and you got 12 only 3 meetings ridden so far Stoke was rained off.

I will ring or text you tomorrow about dinner time .

xxDad

[Fat Tractor Man]

Hi Steve double header at O.S.M. on Monday Chivs wont be back but I could do with a hand its against Mildenhall .League first then K.O.Cup second match could do with a good hose man

[Dancing Moose]

A very good, entertaining meeting. Pleased to see Leigh Adams get the third place overall. I think Leigh`s problem this year has been his motivation. Once motivated Leigh can do anything, but all too often he settles for 3rd or 4th place in the semi`s or finals. The way Nicki rode at times tonight, i am pleased he got demoted to 4th place overall. He is a hard dirty nosed rider. The way he took out Jason and Matej was very much deliberate. Tony was superb again, as was Jason Greg blows hot and cold, but fair play to him, he nearly caught up with Nicki overall ( shame he did not win this G.P and reduce Nicki further down the pecking order).

 

In next years G.P I would like to see the top 8 plus these riders:

 

Simon Stead

Kenneth Bjerre

Matej Zager

Rune Holta

Jarek Hampel

Scott Nicholls

Antonio Lindback

Niels Kristian Iversen

[crazysue]

Bloody amazing experience!!

 

That is my honest opinion, certainly one of the best GP's I have been to, the atmosphere even 3 hours before it began was awesome and it just got better as the night went on.

 

We were standing on the back straight right up by the fence and I the racing from there was not dire or boring but bloody fast and sometimes a bit eeeekkkk as the bikes were passing no more than a few feet in front of us (reminded me of Exeter)

 

Last night confirmed that speedway fans have to be the friendliest people around, no knowledge of a Language was no barrier to conversation, in fact we had maintained a conversation with the Polish group just behind us for most of the night despite I know zilch Polish and they only English they knew was Ipswich Witches and John Louis!! Amazing what you can do with sign language.

 

I would come here again next year if I could, the whole weekend has been brilliant from start to finish.

 

FTM...you mean I actually did well????

[beercellar]

glad you had a good time sue,it looked a great place,wish id gone now,maybe next year if its there.thought the racing was great as well.

[Boyscout]

Best GP ever all the riders true colours were shown.

 

A Racers track, excellent

 

Well Done Rickardsson

 

Zagar shown why he is not in the EL as he was too slow and that was dangerous in itself, look at him prancing around mid track leaving Nicki Pedersen nowhere to go.

 

Tomas Gollob proving he is nobody when he has not got his mate as referee, never seen anyone go backwards quicker!

 

excellent track, well done BSI!!

Edited September 11, 2005 by Boyscout

[Lanzilla]

Thought that was the best GP I've seen for consistently good racing. It had just about everything.

 

I think I was in the majority,as I fully expected it to be a bit of a non event, but credit to all the riders for putting on such a great show.

 

Will 6 points ever be enough to qualify for the semis again?

 

Zagar doesn't look the world beater that everyone cracks him up to be, although at Elite League level He will be good value on a 5 something average.

 

I can't see riders like Sully and Richardson being invited back next year.

 

Great night's TV.

[Subedei]

And so, for the last time this season, my assessments of the riders' individual performces at the GP are:

 

L Adams: A good GP for Adams.

 

H Andersen: Made the semis. One of his better efforts this season. But does he deserve a third chance in 2006? I doubt it.

 

S Andersson: Won the opening race and then went downhill.

 

T Chrzanowski: Had a decent enough GP to finish the season. But not enough to save his GP career you feel.

 

J Crump: A good GP for Crump. Was on the pace all night.

 

T Gollob: The GP was awful, but Gollob was worse. Appalling. If it wasn't for Bydgoszcz he'd not have been in the top 8 and on this showing he wouldn't have deserved to be around next season.

 

G Hancock: Continues to impress in the later GPs of this season. Made the final and finished 3rd. He'll be happy with that. Or, at least, he should be.

 

A Jonsson: A super performance from Jonsson. Provided the only real entertainment. Made a mistake in the semi, or was it a harsh decision? Like Nicholls you feel Jonsson has to start riding "smarter" races.

 

A Lindback: Hit and miss. He'll be around next season, but you wonder if he's come to the GPs too soon, or whether he'd benefit from a year away from the circus?

 

S Nicholls: A little unlucky. But that's a constant refrain and you start to feel it's not just a question of luck. Shouldn't get a third chance, but probably will. Needs to start riding with his "head".

 

B Pedersen: An impressive GP to round off 2005 and he's safely in the top 8. Well done young fellow. But he was in the wars again last night. Why do they always pick on BP?

 

N Pedersen: Didn't look that fit to be honest. Probably only there to try and keep his 3rd place in the world safe. But he didn't manage it.

 

R Povazhny: Won a race.

 

L Richardson: After his heroics at Bydgoszcz, Richardson finished the 2005 circus with a whimper rather than a bang.

 

T Rickardsson: Awesome. Started the 2005 circus with a 7 ride maximum at Wroclaw and finished it with a 7 ride maximum at Lonigo. Head, shoulders and torso above the rest this season.

 

Edit:

 

M Zagar: So anonymous I missed him off the list.

Edited September 13, 2005 by Subedei

[pugwash]

Well, I'm sticking to my guns. Worst GP of the year by miles and miles and miles.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agree.

[AndyM]

Subedei you don't have to keep this up any longer. Steve Shovlar is back now to take over his spot again of number one wind up merchant. 

Personally I thought it was a brilliant G.P. with passing in nearly all of the races.

Great stuff.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gemini, I wasn't complaining that it was a fix, only that the levels of competition haven't enabled other riders to overtake the existing "best in the world" - in other words, that the problem lies with the next level down, those who should be developing faster than they are. Looking at the riders concerned, we seem to have quite a few veterans in the top bracket so the next generation ought by rights to be overtaking them very soon. But would you bet against another TR triumph at this stage?

[Trees]

Experience counts for a lot over the series though, I feel this is why the younger generation are not overhauling the established guys as yet.

[Angel leanne]

Brilliant gp one of the best ive seen so far, the rider that really stood out for me was Andreas Jonsson, absolutly fantastic racing from him, tony untouchable as always, Scotty had a lot of bad luck and deserved better than what he got i think.