waiheke1 Posted November 2, 2017 Report Share Posted November 2, 2017 Id say there were 7 riders with a claim for 4 places. Hancock plus a dane were nailed on, and when I look at nickis record the last few seasons (as well as 3xWC) I think he was also an obvious choice. Vaculik in 9th was also very likely. Of the others, Puk has been consistently solid but since his injury hasnt regained form of a few years back. Milik has impressed in GPS. Lebedevs is sec champ and arguably the best season of any of the riders outside the top 8. Then Holder, whose claim is probably based on being world champ 5 years ago and 4th last year. His final placing this year and last year though boosted by injuries to other riders and definitely the worst form of the 7 this year. I wouldnt have given him one, BUT he is not an outrageous pick. The reserves are all decent choices, apart from Sundstrom ahead of lebedevs. But assume they felt they needed a Swede in the reserve list? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted November 2, 2017 Report Share Posted November 2, 2017 Likely Iversen will get plenty of gp's which will give him the chance to prove a point. If Pedersen has a bad year then Iversen is the next Dane off the rank. Danish Finals could be of interest to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 Likely Iversen will get plenty of gp's which will give him the chance to prove a point. If Pedersen has a bad year then Iversen is the next Dane off the rank. Danish Finals could be of interest to. How is that?I thought Jepsen Jensen,Piotr Pawlicki and Kildemand are next in line from the Challenge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwalker Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 How is that?I thought Jepsen Jensen,Piotr Pawlicki and Kildemand are next in line from the Challenge That's not relevant. Reserves are picked just like the wild cards. Reserves are 1.NKI 2.Milik 3. Linus Sundström. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GiveusaB Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 I dont think its a thread about people/fans not liking Holder etc....its about the wildcard system making a mockery of the 'top 8' rule ? Hancock/Pedersen have the 'injury' excuse and quite rightly so.....but 'Holder' doesn't have any ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 I don't agree with the picks but now they are in I hope all four get stuck in and contribute positively to the series so that the spots aren't wasted. As satisfying as the alternative and being able to say ' we all told you so' might ultimately be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarkens Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 That's not relevant. Reserves are picked just like the wild cards. Reserves are 1.NKI 2.Milik 3. Linus Sundström. 4. Maksym Drabik, 5. Max Fricke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 I dont think its a thread about people/fans not liking Holder etc....its about the wildcard system making a mockery of the 'top 8' rule ? Hancock/Pedersen have the 'injury' excuse and quite rightly so.....but 'Holder' doesn't have any ? I agree they are really just saying top 10 will get in the next season .To be fair to Holder ,Vaculik did not have any excuses either ,although he as more competitive than Holder.Think they need a system where bottom 7 get a chance against GP challengers without having to go through all the rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GiveusaB Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 I agree they are really just saying top 10 will get in the next season .To be fair to Holder ,Vaculik did not have any excuses either ,although he as more competitive than Holder.Think they need a system where bottom 7 get a chance against GP challengers without having to go through all the rounds. Quite right...good shout about a 'ride off' type meeting to decide the 'wildcard' entries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJC Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 Always thought the U21 champion should get a WC pick - there is an argument they aren't ready but you don't know unless they are in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Central Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 (edited) It's ridiculous to have a ride-off meeting to determine the wildcards. The whole idea of having them is so that they can be determined by consideration of other factors, such as injury and to include in-form guys from outside the challenge or previous year's GP standings. I am all in favour of that. One would, of course, hope that those charged with that responsibility would use sensible, decent and justifiable criteria for their choices. But no one can force them to do it that way. I suppose they could behave very differently. And probably do. Those 'fence sitters' planted on the panel from the outside, with barely a passing interest in the SGP, could just sit on their hands, offer no opinion and just rubber stamp whatever choice was made by the SGP organisers. Meaning that a rider may end up getting the pick just because he knows the right people, had chummed up to the right folk or just has a face that fits. The truth is we really don't know what goes on. And never will. Which is why the freedom of speech to call them out when they make a 'Stinker' is all we have. And with all the options available, to my nose, Holder's pick stinks the place out like a wedge of over-ripe Gorgonzola. . Edited November 3, 2017 by Grand Central Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 Always thought the U21 champion should get a WC pick - there is an argument they aren't ready but you don't know unless they are in.U21 WC did used to get a pick back in the early days of the GP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perton Wolf Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 Ideal opportunity to bring some new blood in. One of the young up and coming Aussies wouldn't have been a bad shout. But instead they pick Holder who was largely poor last season, especially in league speedway. And if you're going to pick a Dane, surely it has to be NKI over Pedersen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waytogo28 Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 Ideal opportunity to bring some new blood in. One of the young up and coming Aussies wouldn't have been a bad shout. But instead they pick Holder who was largely poor last season, especially in league speedway. And if you're going to pick a Dane, surely it has to be NKI over Pedersen? I should say so because if what we were told of Pedersen's injuries is correct, he may not ride again after the first tumble of the year. He was a great rider and a box office draw but unlikely to reach those heights again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 Always thought the U21 champion should get a WC pick - there is an argument they aren't ready but you don't know unless they are in. THEY used ... didn't work out well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 THEY used ... didn't work out well. Didn't Jason Crump get in that way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 It's ridiculous to have a ride-off meeting to determine the wildcards. The whole idea of having them is so that they can be determined by consideration of other factors, such as injury and to include in-form guys from outside the challenge or previous year's GP standings. I am all in favour of that. One would, of course, hope that those charged with that responsibility would use sensible, decent and justifiable criteria for their choices. But no one can force them to do it that way. I suppose they could behave very differently. And probably do. Those 'fence sitters' planted on the panel from the outside, with barely a passing interest in the SGP, could just sit on their hands, offer no opinion and just rubber stamp whatever choice was made by the SGP organisers. Meaning that a rider may end up getting the pick just because he knows the right people, had chummed up to the right folk or just has a face that fits. The truth is we really don't know what goes on. And never will. Which is why the freedom of speech to call them out when they make a 'Stinker' is all we have. And with all the options available, to my nose, Holder's pick stinks the place out like a wedge of over-ripe Gorgonzola. . Not anymore ridiculous that picking out of form riders IMO . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarkens Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 Didn't Jason Crump get in that way? yup, Crump and in the following years Protasiewicz, Jensen and Dados. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReturn Posted November 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 It's ridiculous to have a ride-off meeting to determine the wildcards. The whole idea of having them is so that they can be determined by consideration of other factors, such as injury and to include in-form guys from outside the challenge or previous year's GP standings. I am all in favour of that. . It's more ridiculous to pick out of form and undeserving riders randomly as in Holders case for a world championship event because their face fits, or they might be sponsored by the right people. If the race off is the start of the following season most injured riders will be fit, so they're given a second chance to qualify by right in a sporting spectacle. It's meant to be a sport after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 It's more ridiculous to pick out of form and undeserving riders randomly as in Holders case for a world championship event because their face fits, or they might be sponsored by the right people. If the race off is the start of the following season most injured riders will be fit, so they're given a second chance to qualify by right in a sporting spectacle. It's meant to be a sport after all. But it takes SGP riders all winter to sort out their sponsors, equipment, pit crew, travel, etc, etc 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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