fatface Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Went to GP on Saturday - enjoyed it on the whole. But I can't help feeling that this year's series is seriously short on genuine contenders and the absense of Hans Andersen becomes ever more stark. Apart from Jason Crump and possibly Nicki Pedersen - who had a bit of a 'mare on Saturday - there are few other world-class riders, alongside Andersen, who anyone could convincingly argue is at their competitive peak right now. Rickardsson, Adams, Gollob and even Hancock have all seen better days. Whilst the likes of Jonsson, Lindback, Hampel, B Pedersen all have potential yet to fill. As for the rest, well they simply do not look good enough for a sustained challenge. I wonder if the organisers behind this year's GP can honestly say they got it right by ommitting Andersen at the start of this year. The title is virtually already won and the quality at the top end is looking somewhat thin. Even Bonnie Tyler seemed a bit ****ed off with it. "Holding out for a hero"? - I know what she means... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 I agree the event would be richer if Andersen was in it. He would be a real contender this year. At the end of the day, though, he failed to qualify. This left him at the mercy of the qualifying system - unfortunately at a time when it was all down to selection. He has a opportunity to get in next year and, hopefully he will. It also shows a flaw in having qualification for next year a season behind. Last year I still never thought of Hans as a true, out and out World Class rider, but this year he has become one but has to wait until next year for an opportunity to ride in the GP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 I still think they should have some sort of quali on the day or maybe the day before.Say the 2 riders who finished in the last two places from the previous GP and 6 outsiders in two or more heats(2 if held on GP day).That way you get a chance to give riders who are in good form a chance.Have a shake up at the bottom of the GP pile.Put Richardson and Pepe,etc in with Hans,Joonas,Kolodziej,etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Shovlar Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Andersen should never have been left out. Iversen is not really good enough and that was a silly error on the selectors in chosing him over Andersen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDY69 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 He was left out because he didn't qualify after a poor year in the GPs (despite being helped by some acting at Cardiff) and finished 13th or 12th, can't remember. He was beaten in the Danish Championship by Nicki Pedersen and Iversen and therefore he had to be lower in the pecking order for a seeded place than Iversen. His league form last was also good, but was poor in the GPs. Qualification was open to him and he didn't make it, so whatever anyone thinks about the relative merits of any of the riders it's for others to decide. Personally, I think all the places should be based on qualification, with no seeded or permanent wild card entries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 We are clearly missing Hans this year. A good and exciting rider but who knows if he would have a good year in the GPs. Some riders are brilliant in the league but when it comes to GPs, they're rubbish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerWolf Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Wasn't it Anderosn who rolled the throttle off in an international event to let a swede beat him and England miss out as a result? Didn't he also call someone a ****er on Sky sports when asked a question about a 'racing incident' on Sky? Can't remember the details. This is agenuine question - I think it was Hans but I guess I could be wrong. Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazzman Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 A clear missed opportunity by BSI is Protasiewicz in and Kolodziej missing out. I have no probelms with PePe but he aint cutting it. Kolodziej is the next big thing in Speedway full stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
605ts Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Protasiewicz was dire. Plus he showed his lack of quality by turning his bike over doing a practise start on the back straight. Has this ever been seen before in a GP? Got to feel for Hans Andersen, he is a very good rider and should be in over Iversen or PP! I would even prefer a young rider to replace Protasiewicz, Kasprzak or Lindgren for instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted June 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 I'd say the cases for Koldziej and the like have gained strength because of what they have done this year. But very few would have been championing their cause before this year's series. Whereas for Andersen, there can't be many who would have ranked him outside the top 16 in the world in 2005 and surely even less in 2006. You can't help but think he has enemies in high places. Somebody please tell me he has a wild card slot at the Danish GP - because this series is in dire need of spicing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garf Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 .....Somebody please tell me he has a wild card slot at the Danish GP - because this series is in dire need of spicing up. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> He does have the WC in Copenhagen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Puts him under tremendous pressure to do well though.Do think Iversen will do well,based on what i saw last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 He was left out because he didn't qualify after a poor year in the GPs (despite being helped by some acting at Cardiff) and finished 13th or 12th, can't remember. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's true but crucially he did finish ahead of Richardson who got a seeded spot. From what I remember Pepe's sponsors (Pentel) were a factor in him getting a seeded place. Obviously this farce should not be repeated as the qualifiers are back this year. I still think there are some seeded spots though, could someone clarify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDY69 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Seeded places were originally there to allow a rider who had been injured and missed GPs to remian in the series next year. It has now progressed to seeding places according to Nationality. This is nothing new - in the old World Finals qualification places were awarded to different groups of countries and it was impossible to have a field of 16 Brits for example, even if they were the best riders in the world. Last year Poland need another rider and their reps, along with BSI picked Pepe. Britain needed two, Nicholls was 9th and British champion and Richardson was next best, especially remembering his World Cup performance. The Danes needed another rider and as Iversen finished AHEAD of Andersen in the Danish Championship, he was picked and he could rightly feel aggrieved if he wasn't. Therefore FALCACE it has little to do with enemies in high places but more with quotas and consistency. No World Championship has ever featured the best 16 riders in the world and the organisers always have business reasons for decisions. Even the top eight in the series could be filled with less strong riders - it only takes one good round to give the points total a huge lift and they could be mediocre in the other rounds but stilll get through to next year The only fair way to decide the field is a qualification system for all places and I accept this is difficult to organise fairly but at least everyone would have a chance - even if some riders chances were bigger than others! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted June 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Last year Poland need another rider and their reps, along with BSI picked Pepe. Britain needed two, Nicholls was 9th and British champion and Richardson was next best, especially remembering his World Cup performance. The Danes needed another rider and as Iversen finished AHEAD of Andersen in the Danish Championship, he was picked and he could rightly feel aggrieved if he wasn't. Therefore FALCACE it has little to do with enemies in high places but more with quotas and consistency. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What's this about national championships being taken into account then? If that was the case then Janusz Kolodziej would've been Poland's pick. He is their national champion after all... seems like you're suggesting there are different rules for different people... and i have to say, that certainly seems to be the case, with Hans Andersen the victim. FALCACE!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hansfan Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 (edited) He was left out because he didn't qualify after a poor year in the GPs (despite being helped by some acting at Cardiff) and finished 13th or 12th, can't remember. He was beaten in the Danish Championship by Nicki Pedersen and Iversen and therefore he had to be lower in the pecking order for a seeded place than Iversen. His league form last was also good, but was poor in the GPs. Qualification was open to him and he didn't make it, so whatever anyone thinks about the relative merits of any of the riders it's for others to decide. Personally, I think all the places should be based on qualification, with no seeded or permanent wild card entries. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> [/quot# Do you think Nicholls and Richardson 'deserve' to be in it just because they are Brits, it's a travesty that Hans was left out!! Edited June 5, 2006 by Hansfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDY69 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 What's this about national championships being taken into account then? If that was the case then Janusz Kolodziej would've been Poland's pick. He is their national champion after all... seems like you're suggesting there are different rules for different people... and i have to say, that certainly seems to be the case, with Hans Andersen the victim. FALCACE!!!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> There were no rules, that was why the committee, whoever they are, decided upon the seeded places. What I am saying is that if the DMU have an input to that then they couldn't ignore Iversen. Poland is Poland and they will have decided on Pepe for whatever reasons. Kolodziej didn't even make their World Cup squad did he? I don't think Hans is a victim of anything here because he had the chance to qualify and didn't, but I think the system is wrong as I said before and that all places should be available via qualification. Can't wait for the Russians to start on here about their National Champion! Do you think Nicholls and Richardson 'deserve' to be in it just because they are Brits, it's a travesty that Hans was left out!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> They certainly don't deserve it any less! None of them qualified. Nicholls was 9th, Andersen 12th and Richardson 13th. We all know what happened at Cardiff with the 'dive' so anything was possible. I am not defending the selection committee here but pointing out why I think certain riders were or were not nominated. As I said before, no World Championship that I can remember has had the best 16 riders in the world in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 He was left out because he didn't qualify after a poor year in the GPs (despite being helped by some acting at Cardiff) and finished 13th or 12th, can't remember. He was beaten in the Danish Championship by Nicki Pedersen and Iversen and therefore he had to be lower in the pecking order for a seeded place than Iversen. His league form last was also good, but was poor in the GPs. Qualification was open to him and he didn't make it, so whatever anyone thinks about the relative merits of any of the riders it's for others to decide. Personally, I think all the places should be based on qualification, with no seeded or permanent wild card entries. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> [/quot# Do you think Nicholls and Richardson 'deserve' to be in it just because they are Brits, it's a travesty that Hans was left out!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Why is it a travesty that hans andersen was left out ? he had his chance to come in the top 8 and did not cut the mustard . When hans was at the gp's he spent most of him time trying to get them call off if there was a drop of rain and had quite frankly become a pain in the backside . After saying all that i still think on his riding he should be in it, but needs to spend more time on his speedway and less time puting people noses out of joint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chivs Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Whilst I agree that Hans should have been given another crack, why is this just another thread stating the same point? Hans isnt in this season - end of. This will probably do him a favour in the long run by making him even more hungry and determined next year. However if he still wants to play the "bad guy" role, then he will still need to realise that he isnt exactly the most popular in the speedway world. And earlier in the thread falcace said Hancock had seen better days......this guy has very nearly won the last 3 Grand Prixs - these are his best days since his World Champion year of 1997. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Turner Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 There can be no doubt whatsoever that Hans has been brilliant this year, far more consistent than any other season. He's done it without having "GP bikes". And he's not been a naughty boy either There's clearly on-track issues with Ryan Sullivan - but who doesn't have them ! He might have achieved that while in the GP's, we'll never know, but I have to say his professional attitude has impressed me a lot and he will hopefully take his chances in the future in the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.