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2010 Grand Prix wildcards


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What a bunch of over the top whingers on this topic! The four picks are debatable, but by no means ridiculous. Those who are suggesting that the ommission of Lee Richardson is somehow the last thread of the sport's credibility are just being plain silly. Why do people feel the need to exaggerate their views to have a greater effect on-line? Never understood that.

 

Lindgren and Andersen are definitely amongst the world's elite and deserve a spot. Both are prospective World Champs of the future. Tai is one of the world's top prospects and has proven he can mix it at the SWC, so why not? Chris Harris is probably the luckiest of the three, but although he has struggled this season, he still has the ability to perform at this level and is one of the most exciting riders in the series. He's also responsible for probably the most dramatic 60 seconds of racing in the history the SGP. He's a rider I - and many others - would pay to see.

 

Yes, there is an element of leniency towards the Brits, but the series needs a good mix otherwise it will be seriously stale. No-one can say that one of the world's very top riders has been left out. Zagar, Lindback are on the cusp, but not clearly superior to anyone in next year's series.

Edited by falcace
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Can't see why people are saying Bomber doesn't deserve a seed. He is the reigning British Champion and had a superb finish to the season. If people want to be critical, why should Tai get one? What has he done at international level? Just because he's a young prospect maybe?

I think this is Bomber's last chance but to say Nicholls or Richardson deserve a seed above him is outragous, both have tried at GP level and consistently failed. Maybe the organisers think that Bomber will have a good year if Tony Olsen is to prepare grippy tracks in 2010?

 

Either way, good news for Bomber and Bees fans!

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What a bunch of over the top whingers on this topic! The four picks are debatable, but by no means ridiculous. Those who are suggesting that the ommission of Lee Richardson is somehow the last thread of the sport's credibility are just being plain silly. Why do people feel the need to exaggerate their views to have a greater effect on-line? Never understood that.

Lindgren and Andersen are definitely amongst the world's elite and deserve a spot. Both are prospective World Champs of the future. Tai is one of the world's top prospects and has proven he can mix it at the SWC, so why not? Chris Harris is probably the luckiest of the three, but although he has struggled this season, he still has the ability to perform at this level and is one of the most exciting riders in the series. He's also responsible for probably the most dramatic 60 seconds of racing in the history the SGP. He's a rider I - and many others - would pay to see.

 

Yes, there is an element of leniency towards the Brits, but the series needs a good mix otherwise it will be seriously stale. No-one can say that one of the world's very top riders has been left out. Zagar, Lindback are on the cusp, but not clearly superior to anyone in next year's series.

Erm...exaggeration? :wink:

 

I cant agree with you saying Zager and Lindback are not superior to anyone in next years series, they would both score far higher than Harris in the GP's and maybe not just Harris.

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I also agree...

 

Andersen and Lindgren were pretty much dead certs,

 

But why is there always a need for 2 Brits, Harris.. well ok i thought it was him or Rico. Harris been given the spot dosent surprise me at all.

 

But Woffinden!! NO WAY! Far to early for him IMO. And hes only been given the spot because hes a Brit and young. If they wanted a 'young gun' why didnt they go for Darcy? lol

 

This IMO is a step to far for Woffinden, and Harris will outscore him.

 

 

 

I was thinking more like 2012 for Woffinden

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Can't be bothered?! Richardson qualified through to the Croatian round this season and ended up in hospital out there with a kidney infection! Thus missing the actual meeting and the Hammers match at Belle Vue the following Monday. That's a long way to go, to 'not bother'!

 

the point im making is that lee misses a lot of big meetings with `illness` related problems. Thats all.

 

 

 

'scuse me - what are Tai's credentials for seeding for the GP (third heat-leader at his club, perhaps)

 

LOL

 

 

what are Tai's credentials for seeding for the GP?

 

 

Seeing as you asked twice . let me try and answer the question.

Tai fits in perfectly with BSI plans for young and exciting seeded riders.

Had a decent debut season in the elite UK and done well in top flight in Poland and Sweden.

and is young.

 

Think that clears that up then.

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Well it had to be Hans & Freddie really didn't it. It was just a question of who would be the other 2 nominated riders.

There was always going to be at least 1 brit in there & Chris is British Champion as well as being the next rider in line after Freddie at the GP Challenge so there you have it, like it or lump it.

 

I have said that i think Tai needs another year & i stand by that, i just hope that this opportunity is the making of him rather than the ruin of him as we've seen with others, for his sake & for his dad's sake.

 

Who else would i have put in instead? Zagar or G Laguta.

 

Anyway,that's just my opinion & good luck to all 4.

Edited by colincooke
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2010 SGP Wild Cards Announced

Thats what the Speedway World story states :wink:

 

Fair point and apologies - I hadn't spotted that. Interesting that BSI don't use the FIM's official definitions, which state:

 

Qualified Rider: A rider who qualifies for the Speedway Grand Prix series either

by virtue of his position in the Final Grand Prix Classification of the previous year

or by finishing in the top three of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix qualification

system.

Nominated Rider: A rider who is selected by the SGP Commission to participate

in the Speedway Grand Prix series.

Qualified Substitute Rider: A rider appearing on the list of Qualified Substitutes

approved and published by the SGP Commission.

Wild Card Rider: A rider selected by the SGP Commission to participate in an

individual round of the SGP series.

Track Reserve Rider: A rider nominated by his FMN and approved by the SGP

Commission to take part as a meeting reserve rider during an individual round of

the SGP series.

 

Apparently FIM don't use the phrase seeded rider either!

Edited by NeilWatson
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Terrible to chose Harris. In fact disgraceful. I would have chosen Eddie or Richardson over Harris any day of the week. Bomber has had his chance. in fact I would have chosen Nicholls over Bomber as well.

 

These people don't have a clue.

 

I can see where you are coming from but the bottom line is that Bomber came much closer to qualifying than any of the other Brits including Woffenden, and for that matter closer to qualifying than the likes of Zagar and Lindback.

If you are going to go to the bother of having qualifying rounds then some regard has to be paid to riders performance in those rounds.

If at the end of it all riders are just going to be seeded in from discussions behind closed doors we might just as well do away with the qualifying rounds altogether.

GP's are all about stringing 7 good races together in one evening. If a rider can't do that in a qualifying round why should we assume he will contribute anything to the GP's ?

Once we are on the road of wild cards being decided on by faceless wonders behind closed doors the whole thing becomes a matter of sucking up to the right people.

if you look at the whole history of World Championship Speedway the cream have always qualified year on year and the rest have changed year on year.

Why should Harris and Woffenden go through on the basis of someones opinion ?

Why should Andersen and Lindgren be given a safety net that wasn't afforded to Proteseiwicz, for example ?

If you are going to nominate qualifyers by committee why not go all the way and nominate the World Champion by committee ?

Given the way this thing has now panned out we can say with a fair degree of certainty that if Holder had not qualified at Coventry the chances are he would not been given a wild card because of the perceived need to have 2 British riders in, despite the fact that he has more talent that the two of them put together.

Lets just remember throughout the GP season that Harris and Woffenden are there on selection, not on merit.

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Nominated Rider: A rider who is selected by the SGP Commission to participate

in the Speedway Grand Prix series.

 

Wild Card Rider: A rider selected by the SGP Commission to participate in an

individual round of the SGP series.

 

I must admit it puzzled me why suddenly people were calling these slots which are for the season-long series, "wildcards" , as I too understood that expression to refer to the one-off, one meeting picks..

Now Neil's helpfully confirmed the correct titles - one does wonder how the BSPA can get this (relatively simple) concept wrong and call the "nominated" riders 'wildcards'?! :blink:

 

Of the choices... Delighted of course that Tai's in. Looking forward to hearing how all of those slagging him off will escape having to eat humble pie as the 2010 series progresses!!! :approve: I'm confident Tai will finish in the top eight - quite likely in the top half of that top eight...

 

Am gutted that Eddie didn't get the other pick... Harris..? Well, I'm speechless really... :neutral:

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I must admit it puzzled me why suddenly people were calling these slots which are for the season-long series, "wildcards" , as I too understood that expression to refer to the one-off, one meeting picks..

Now Neil's helpfully confirmed the correct titles - one does wonder how the BSPA can get this (relatively simple) concept wrong and call the "nominated" riders 'wildcards'?! :blink:

 

Of the choices... Delighted of course that Tai's in. Looking forward to hearing how all of those slagging him off will escape having to eat humble pie as the 2010 series progresses!!! :approve: I'm confident Tai will finish in the top eight - quite likely in the top half of that top eight...

 

Am gutted that Eddie didn't get the other pick... Harris..? Well, I'm speechless really... :neutral:

 

Tai top 4 in the World? Not next season, have you ever seen him ride anywhere other than England? If he finishes in the top 10 that will be a massive achievement. It will certainly be interesting seeing how he gets on.

 

The choice of Harris is a shocker.

Edited by Blazeaway
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Terrible to chose Harris. In fact disgraceful. I would have chosen Eddie or Richardson over Harris any day of the week. Bomber has had his chance. in fact I would have chosen Nicholls over Bomber as well.

 

These people don't have a clue.

 

 

omg i dont believe it, forced to agree with S S, too right bomber has had his chance, if anyone deserves a crack at it based on league form it has to be rico, nichols, no, not after last season, needs time away from gps to re stock

 

 

For once, I agree with Steve !

 

Obviously a political decision to chose Chris Harris, to make up the two "token Brits", but, surely to god, Lee Richardson was more deserving of the second British nomination rather than Chris ?!?

 

 

Harris being included is a joke.

 

 

. Harris..? Well, I'm speechless really... :neutral:

 

 

Here's to hoping Chris get's back on the radio & has a dig at these characters too.

Hoping for too much, thought so!!!

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I've just read through all the posts and can put my hand on my heart and say that nothing has been posted to justify the opinion that anyone should have been chosen ahead of Bomber or Tai.

 

Most of the names mentioned as alternatives seem to be Rico, Lindback and Zagar. Well Bomber was closer to qualifying by right than any of them. Comaparing their EL form shows Zagar as the better rider by ½ a point, but he didn't do a full season. Rico and Bomber scored the same to within .02. Rico has also had his chance in the GPs and I believe recorded just one third place. Bomber has a win and a third, and is the British Champion again. With a chance at the top of the GP tree it's worth Bomber getting one more shot because if the tracks are better prepared in '10 there are few more exciting riders than Bomber in full flow (jsut for the record I'm of the school of thought that Rico is a much better racer than he gets credit for - just to add balance to my post). Tai is by far our best prospect out of the teenagers/very early twenties. He's streets ahead of the others. Only Ed would come into the frame, but he has had two chances in the last two British GPs to impress and has failed to do so. Neither Ed nor Tai made the GP Quali Final so you can't split them there either. As for Lindback - Well he couldn't be bothered turning up for the GP Quali Final so sod him!!! And Ward is just a new boy that had a good season in the PL. What makes anyone think he should be step up the GPs in '10 if beyond me, talented though he is.

 

Overall I can't see what's wrong with Bomber and Tai joining Lindgren and Andersen.

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But why is there always a need for 2 Brits, Harris..

 

Maybe there's a contractual obligation for BSI to provide 2 British riders in the series for Sky Sports ????

 

IMO, the sooner all these 4 nominations are axed in favour of a true qualification system, where the 4 major nations stage a qualifier, or a GP Challenge type meeting, a couple of days ahead of the GP the better.

 

That way those in form have an instant shot at GP stardom, whilst the current competitors face an immediate re-qualification should they not be in top 8 at certain cut off point during the season.

 

For me, it's not right that someone like Holder has to now wait 8 months since qualifying for the GPs before starting in one !

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We don't need another thread and they're NOT WILD CARDS!

 

I take it these are the non-wildcards announced on the official Speedway Grand Prix site under the title: '2010 SGP wildcards announced', in a story that goes on to say: 'The FIM Speedway Grand Prix commission and BSI Speedway, rights holders of the FIM Speedway World Championships, has today announced the full rider line up for the 2010 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series (SGP), including the four riders that have been awarded a permanent wild card place.' Those non-wildcards?

Edit: Actually, apologies Neil. Having jumped from page one to page four to post and now gone back, I can see you have dealt with the whole wildcard/permanent wildcard/seeded/nominated etc etc issue!

Edited by Fourentee
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Well it had to be Hans & Freddie really didn't it. It was just a question of who would be the other 2 nominated riders.

There was always going to be at least 1 brit in there & Chris is British Champion as well as being the next rider in line after Freddie at the GP Challenge so there you have it, like it or lump it.

 

I have said that i think Tai needs another year & i stand by that, i just hope that this opportunity is the making of him rather than the ruin of him as we've seen with others, for his sake & for his dad's sake.

Who else would i have put in instead? Zagar or G Laguta.

 

Anyway,that's just my opinion & good luck to all 4.

 

Lindbäck, Zagar, Miedzinski, Laguta....

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Lindbäck, Zagar, Miedzinski, Laguta....

 

 

Lindback hasn't earnt a chance cos he failed in the qualifiers, yes he has done 2 GP's in 2009 & was superb but couldn't do it when it mattered. Miedzinski is a very very long shot in any case.

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