acef 795 Posted December 12, 2018 12 minutes ago, Aces High said: Absolutely, that is the benchmark if we are going to be successful. Once Lambert got the number one spot there was no taking it away from even though he had a very fast and experienced rider in the team as competition. Cook was a huge disappointment leading the team and it was only really because of rolling averages he held on to it for as long as he did. Lambert killing it for team GB at Belle Vue showed it too. We go into the season with two heat leaders who have proven that they can ride as a number one in this league and another in Dan who almost certainly will do at some point in his career. That is what we should be aiming for. Completely agree 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DBP 64 Posted December 12, 2018 35 minutes ago, acef said: Craig has always been very committed to bv and for that I will always be grateful. However. He just isn’t as good as he thinks he is and when he has the number 1 on his back, goes missing. In those huge moments, those big big races, I never felt confident and many bv fans I know felt the same. He does a lot of talking Craig. He needs to zip the mouth, head down, and focus on becoming on what he thinks he can be. He had the world at his feet last season. Shown up in the GP, lost his spot to an 18 year old in Polska, and had to drop down a league in the uk to make ends meat. This season can’t get a gig abroad. Doubling up again. That’s what Craig is. A decent British rider. Average joe. Compare to Robert Lambert this season, their trajectories will be poles apart. Spot on, good post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foamfence 2,917 Posted December 12, 2018 4 minutes ago, DBP said: Spot on, good post. Apart from the meaty bit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
acef 795 Posted December 12, 2018 (edited) 46 minutes ago, Aces High said: Absolutely, that is the benchmark if we are going to be successful. Once Lambert got the number one spot there was no taking it away from even though he had a very fast and experienced rider in the team as competition. Cook was a huge disappointment leading the team and it was only really because of rolling averages he held on to it for as long as he did. Lambert killing it for team GB at Belle Vue showed it too. We go into the season with two heat leaders who have proven that they can ride as a number one in this league and another in Dan who almost certainly will do at some point in his career. That is what we should be aiming for. Just to add btw, I think the biggest risk with Dan will be his head and how he recovers mentally. Physically he will likely be stronger after all the metal work, kid will be like the f#####g terminator. He’s took a few knocks now, for a sch a young lad, his battle is going to be in the head. I think he’s a huge gamble. Edited December 12, 2018 by acef 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aces51 2,777 Posted December 12, 2018 (edited) Steve Lawson has said on Twitter that the Doctors have said that Dan is making good progress with intensive therapy and should be back on a bike well before March. Edited December 12, 2018 by Aces51 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STEVEHOLS54 380 Posted December 12, 2018 42 minutes ago, Aces51 said: Steve Lawson has said on Twitter that the Doctors have said that Dan is making good progress with intensive therapy and should be back on a bike well before March. Also don't the Poles do quite a bit of training on their tracks plus the squad get a good few decent friendlies before actual league season starts. Being an important part of Rybnik's team for 2019 I am sure he will get plenty of practice in for the season start. Those big sweeping POL tracks will be great for getting time on the bike without the more fiddly technical UK tracks where you may only get rides on race days and at the official press and practice day. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted December 12, 2018 6 hours ago, acef said: Craig has always been very committed to bv and for that I will always be grateful. However. He just isn’t as good as he thinks he is and when he has the number 1 on his back, goes missing. In those huge moments, those big big races, I never felt confident and many bv fans I know felt the same. He does a lot of talking Craig. He needs to zip the mouth, head down, and focus on becoming on what he thinks he can be. He had the world at his feet last season. Shown up in the GP, lost his spot to an 18 year old in Polska, and had to drop down a league in the uk to make ends meat. This season can’t get a gig abroad. Doubling up again. That’s what Craig is. A decent British rider. Average joe. Compare to Robert Lambert this season, their trajectories will be poles apart. Lambert is a mega talent Ace, don't even compare Cook to Lambert , he is up there In the same bracket as Drabik/Smektala we all knew he had talent the penny has dropped he has moved up a few levels.Craig is a different kettle of fish he had to work at it but your comments about him are mighty harsh and Bjerre who i like and have followed since his Newcastle days has at times been a blow out.Yes at times he will be mighty quick at home but could you 100 per cent rely on him ? i am not certain Fricke will be the number 1 anyway different gravy. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
szkocjasid 2,848 Posted December 12, 2018 How about this team? Belle Vue 42.30 M Fricke 8.20 D Bewley 7.13 K Bjerre 7.02 S Worrall 6.16 R Worrall 5.46 J Etheridge 4.33 D Berge 4.00 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil The Ace 2,847 Posted December 12, 2018 54 minutes ago, szkocjasid said: How about this team? Belle Vue 42.30 M Fricke 8.20 D Bewley 7.13 K Bjerre 7.02 S Worrall 6.16 R Worrall 5.46 J Etheridge 4.33 D Berge 4.00 Need to swap 2. One of them is at Poole and the other has no club in premiership unfortunately Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,684 Posted December 12, 2018 1 hour ago, Phil The Ace said: Need to swap 2. One of them is at Poole and the other has no club in premiership unfortunately Take out Richie W and Etheridge then.... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil The Ace 2,847 Posted December 12, 2018 5 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said: Take out Richie W and Etheridge then.... Correctmundo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
acef 795 Posted December 12, 2018 2 hours ago, Sidney the robin said: Lambert is a mega talent Ace, don't even compare Cook to Lambert , he is up there In the same bracket as Drabik/Smektala we all knew he had talent the penny has dropped he has moved up a few levels.Craig is a different kettle of fish he had to work at it but your comments about him are mighty harsh and Bjerre who i like and have followed since his Newcastle days has at times been a blow out.Yes at times he will be mighty quick at home but could you 100 per cent rely on him ? i am not certain Fricke will be the number 1 anyway different gravy. Nothing harsh about the Cook comments. It’s accurate and unfortunately some people don’t want to hear it. As for Kenneth, see my earlier posts. I can only speak in respect of what he’s done in a BV race jacket, and he’s never let us down. Home or away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted December 13, 2018 5 hours ago, acef said: Nothing harsh about the Cook comments. It’s accurate and unfortunately some people don’t want to hear it. As for Kenneth, see my earlier posts. I can only speak in respect of what he’s done in a BV race jacket, and he’s never let us down. Home or away. You have seen far more of Cook than me over the years so you could well be right.But my point was don't judge him up against Lambert who for me is a super talent who has a natural racing brain and is destined to be a regular top eight rider in the future.Bjerre can he shine in this watered down league yes of course he can but for me he is on the level of Hans Andersen who was once world class but is now on the slide. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
acef 795 Posted December 13, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, Sidney the robin said: You have seen far more of Cook than me over the years so you could well be right.But my point was don't judge him up against Lambert who for me is a super talent who has a natural racing brain and is destined to be a regular top eight rider in the future.Bjerre can he shine in this watered down league yes of course he can but for me he is on the level of Hans Andersen who was once world class but is now on the slide. Well last season was a fair comparison in the grand scheme of things. I don’t disagree that Robert is a huge talent, which is why I pointed out that their trajectories will be poles apart this season. Edited December 13, 2018 by acef Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WestGorton1884 621 Posted December 13, 2018 Realistically Cook doesn’t have the talent of someone like Lambert, but Craig is probably the next level down , ie a very capable international speedway rider . the GPs were a step too far , but he more than deserved to his chance to ride at that level, albeit possibly for only one season. I’m genuinely sorry to see his time as an Ace end the way it did , hopefully bridges haven’t been burned and he can return one day ? .... doubt it though 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites