Wild Cards 2019

[iris123]

7 hours ago, tarkens said:

Nicki said he won't participate in the qualifier next year and he rejected BSI's offer to be GP's 1st reserve rider.

Looks like his GP career is over for good and he doesn't seem too fussed about it.

1015 heats, 336 heat wins, 64 finals, 17 wins, 3 world championships. Thanks Nicki, you'll be missed.

source: https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/781599/nicki-pedersen-zegna-sie-z-grand-prix-pogodzilem-sie-z-ta-decyzja

Thought he sounded very disappointed on FB yesterday,rather than not too fussed,but it did sound as if that was the end of his GP career

[Ghostwalker]

Official reserves Robert Lambert, Max Fricke, Mikkel Michelsen, Vaclav Milik and Bartosz Smektala.

http://speedwaygp.com/news/article/7048/sgp-2019-substitutes-and-rankings

Edited October 8, 2018 by Ghostwalker

[OveFundinFan]

the reserve list looks very sensible to me. The oldest there must be Milik.  Hopefully non are needed, but if they are it would be good experience for Lambert and possibly Fricke.

Hopefully Lambert will be the home wild card for Cardiff, and he got to have a better meeting then 2018, cant possibly get any worse.  But there again Cookie could win the British final, or even Dan

[chunky]

6 hours ago, customhouseregular said:

If it was up to me I would drop the wild card system, including the "famous" no. 16. The top 8 would qualify as they do now, the European Champion and world U21 Champion would qualify and the top 6 from the GP Challenge. If any of the Challenge top 6 qualify via one of the other 3 routes we go down the list till we have 16 GP riders. All 16 GP riders from one season should enter the GP Challenge series to give them a second route in to the next year's series should they not finish top 16.

Just my opinion.

A few days ago, I did suggest an idea for an overhaul of the qualifying system.  Because of injuries affecting qualification for the following year, I would still like at least one.  However, I would like to see the GP Challenge AFTER the GP's have finished (maybe at the start of the following season, in order for riders to get over any injuries).  Perhaps the Challenge would include the riders who finished 9-12 in the previous year's GP's; kind of a repechage.  At least they would have a chance to qualify "by right".  

Steve

[Col]

5 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

The oldest there must be Milik.

Michelsen is surely older than Milik.

[waiheke1]

53 minutes ago, Col said:

Michelsen is surely older than Milik.

Michelson 24. Milik 25

[waiheke1]

13 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

But it would of been the same amount of poles, he would of just replaced pawlicki,the fact is poland sells, in an ideal BSI world they would have 11 rounds in poland and have 16 poles 

Not true. If BSI wanted more poles then surely Hampel and Drabik would have got wild cards. Reality is Poles are disadvantaged because they are rarely getting wc due to the number qualifying. If hampek/drabik was Danish or British I'm confident they would get a pick 

And the the Polish tracks and stadiums are excellent I wouldn't object to an extra round or two there- not sure it is massive home advantage when all the top riders race there. A bit like rounds in UK in the 80s.

[James Carter]

16 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

As I see it Madsen is a gater, just as Laguta is.    (look at Laguta in the final last Saturday, Tai gated him and that was it - Laguta didn't even pose one challenge).

I only going on what I see of him on tv ie SEC etc.  So whats the reality from those who get to see him in Poland/Sweden.  

I've watched just about every polish league match this year so my thoughts are:

Madsen is definitely more than just a gater. Unfortunately link for match for Czestochowa Vs Grudziadz is not working. Anyway Madsen in this match was on inspired form, probably best I've seen hin ride all year coming from the back numerous times and ultimately taking the points they needed to get through to the knock outs. He does seem to have the odd very bad meeting. 

I have a soft spot for Laguta as his Grudziadz side were absolutely shocking mid season and it felt like it was Laguta Vs everyone. (They got trounced at home by leszno who racked up 66 ish points)

So Laguta has a superb gate and it's his biggest asset. I think he took every inside grid in the SON so I think that speaks for itself. However he isn't bad from the back (certainly better than Dudek) particular at Grudziadz or on the bigger tracks. He seems to pass most riders by winding it on down the back straight and then then dropping under. He doesn't have the bravery of Lindgren, Sayfutiniv, Janowaki, Bz etc and I think can get bullied out a bit in SGP when he's up against a full grid if quality riders. I'm not sure you can ever become a braver rider and ultimately this might stop him getting to the very top. 

Agree that Laguta was poor in the final. He couldn't even get close to Tai to put some pressure on. 

Anyway that's my thoughts. Haven't been able to watch much Swedish league this year but I think both are well up in the averages. 

[OveFundinFan]

7 hours ago, Col said:

Michelsen is surely older than Milik.

MM was 3rd in the under 21 world championship 2014 - born Aug 1994, so just over 24

VM was born May 1993 so 25 

Not to far apart but Milik oldest. Been impressed the way MM has rode this year (in the small amount of tv viewing)

[Col]

Michelson must have been young when he rode for Eastbourne if he is only 24 now, surprised Milik is 25 also.  I couldn't be bothered to look at their respective DOB's last night.

[Col]

I haven't seen a great deal of Madsen and I previously thought he was just a gater from watching how poor he was in previous years SWC's but having watched the SEC rounds, the Elitserien playoffs & a couple of Częstochowa meetings this year he is more than just a gater.  I think it is likely he'll have to rely on his gating in the GP's as the top riders are so fast.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

9 hours ago, waiheke1 said:

Not true. If BSI wanted more poles then surely Hampel and Drabik would have got wild cards. Reality is Poles are disadvantaged because they are rarely getting wc due to the number qualifying. If hampek/drabik was Danish or British I'm confident they would get a pick 

And the the Polish tracks and stadiums are excellent I wouldn't object to an extra round or two there- not sure it is massive home advantage when all the top riders race there. A bit like rounds in UK in the 80s.

It is true if you read the context of my post, I said in a ideal bsi world, poland sells and that would make them the most money if it was 16 poles on 11 polish tracks, it’s not what we or the Danes, swedes or any other nation wants but commercially that situation would make them the most money 

[Mark]

I'm happy with the wild cards.    Maybe Pedersen could have had another year as he was injured this season so his points total suffered but going for younger guys not a bad thing.    Never for a minute did I think Lambert would get in the top 15.     Too soon for him.    How many points did he get in Wroclaw at the SON ?    One year as first GP reserve and doing the Euro's could set him up very well for 2020 GP's.

Pedersen was offered 1st reseve but turned it down.    This confirmed by Nigel Pearson on comms last night.

[June01]

I must admit I was expecting far more posts about Nicki's non inclusion, but I do appreciate that some restraint in revelling in the decision has been exercised. I think it would be a poor show to do so. I appreciate Nicki's decision to turn down the reserve berth. I'm sure everyone remembers Tomasz Gollob refusing a wildcard in 2014, and I guess they both had similar thought processes.

For me, I want to see the best riders in the world in the GPs. As someone who has averaged in the top 4 in all 3 leagues he competes in, a GP winner this year, and a 3 times World Champion I believe Nicki falls into this category. I find it a shame that geographical politics plays such a part in the decision, but it is what it is.

I appreciate Nicki has has more wildcards than perhaps any one rider is entitled to (although no more than Chris Harris who, much as I like, is clearly a rider of lesser calibre than Nicki). I agree with the previous poster who said Nicki seemed really disappointed with this decision in his comments, and that he does seem to be hinting this will be the end of his GP career. My personal opinion from his body  language and things he's said over the last two years  is that he had considered retiring from the sport altogether on a couple of occasions, but the win in Malilla seemed to bring about a new found motivation to get back to winning. People knock him for his "tantrums" in the pits, but it's clear to see he cares. 

I will miss Nicki in the GPs (and I think even those who don't like him will miss having something to talk about) and I really hope I'm wrong, and that we will see him back on the circuit in 2020, but if not, it's been an absolute pleasure to watch such an exciting and passionate rider.

[SPEEDY69]

On 10/7/2018 at 5:47 PM, Steve Shovlar said:

Boring picks. Wouldn’t have given Zagar a place. Just makes up the numbers. Down to having a home GP.

Britain should have two.  Lambert might not have set it alight but he would have done better than Cook.

Unfortunately he failed to get through the qualifiers, then got a wild card to the challenge final and failed to get into the top three.  Zagar doesn't deserve a wildcard and I wouldn't have had Vaculik either.  Id'd have had Dudek, Smektala, Pedersen and Madsen

[tarkens]

5 hours ago, Mark said:

 Never for a minute did I think Lambert would get in the top 15.     Too soon for him.    How many points did he get in Wroclaw at the SON ?    One year as first GP reserve and doing the Euro's could set him up very well for 2020 GP's.

Some Ekstraliga experience would definitely help him too, but for whatever reason he doesn't want that.

Surely he's good enough to compete in Ekstraliga, maybe he wouldn't be smashing it week in week out but is already good and experienced enough to achieve 1,7-1,8. He proved it in SON and SEC... someone should really talk some sense into him. Another year in Nice 1 liga simply doesn't make sense to me.

[James Carter]

24 minutes ago, tarkens said:

Some Ekstraliga experience would definitely help him too, but for whatever reason he doesn't want that.

Surely he's good enough to compete in Ekstraliga, maybe he wouldn't be smashing it week in week out but is already good and experienced enough to achieve 1,7-1,8. He proved it in SON and SEC... someone should really talk some sense into him. Another year in Nice 1 liga simply doesn't make sense to me.

Not easy to get an Ekstraliga ride. I think going to Lublinbin 2018 was a smart move. He still has time on his side Hopefully Lublin retain him for 2019 in the Ekstraliga - any news on this?

[tyler42]

30 minutes ago, tarkens said:

Some Ekstraliga experience would definitely help him too, but for whatever reason he doesn't want that.

Surely he's good enough to compete in Ekstraliga, maybe he wouldn't be smashing it week in week out but is already good and experienced enough to achieve 1,7-1,8. He proved it in SON and SEC... someone should really talk some sense into him. Another year in Nice 1 liga simply doesn't make sense to me.

It is a shame Robert has not decide to move up with Lublin. The young Aussies,  Holder, Kurtz and Fricke all ride in the top league over there and i'm sure Lambert could hold his own if he were to join them. He rides in the top league in Sweden. Which has a lot of the riders that ride in Polish top league and he holds his own there. So not sure why really.

[tarkens]

21 minutes ago, James Carter said:

Not easy to get an Ekstraliga ride. I think going to Lublinbin 2018 was a smart move. He still has time on his side Hopefully Lublin retain him for 2019 in the Ekstraliga - any news on this?

Lublin offered him a contract, various types of contracts, all to convince him to stay in Lublin, but it looks like he'll be riding in Ostrow in Nice 1 Liga in 2019, as far as I know Kuba Kepa (Lublin's sporting director) is fed up with Robert saying no to everything and decided to move on, so there'll be no more talks between Motor and Lambert. I hope they will both have a change of heart, but at the moment it looks very very unlikely. Here's my post about it from a different topic on this forum:
 

Quote

 

it hasn't been officially confirmed yet but Robert Lambert told Motor he's not ready for Extraleague and will be racing in Nice 1 liga next season. Motor tried everything to convince him, offered him 1-5 / 9-13 spot, as well as 8 / 16 so he can give it a shot and go to 1 liga on loan if he struggles. They tried to sign a 2-year deal with Robert and send him on loan for one season straight away, but he was having none of it either. Looks like Garcarek brothers (one of Robert's main sponsors) have some good arguments ($$$) and Robert will be racing in Ostrow next year.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2018 by tarkens

[Mark]

52 minutes ago, tarkens said:

Some Ekstraliga experience would definitely help him too, but for whatever reason he doesn't want that.

Surely he's good enough to compete in Ekstraliga, maybe he wouldn't be smashing it week in week out but is already good and experienced enough to achieve 1,7-1,8. He proved it in SON and SEC... someone should really talk some sense into him. Another year in Nice 1 liga simply doesn't make sense to me.

I agree.