Dave the Mic

Certainly Lindback's presence will add to the GP series, he is a quality rider & should do well. Chzranowski, whilst earning his place on merit (regardless of whether anyone likes the rules or not - they ARE the same for all riders) could be another in the line of those riders who have just made up the numbers in the past & may not exactly set the series alight, but I guess we shall have to wait & see. Anyway, congratulations to both men, they will doubtless be well pleased.

"Chrzanowski was riding second but brutal attack of Andersen made him fall to the third place. The referee did not react. After a while Andersen had an engine failure and Chrzanowski finished second." Looks like there may have been some justice there

Arguably he deserved to go through, but I suspect ther won't be too many people in the UK shedding tears over his non-qualification.

Steve, you are right in some ways of course, but the fact is those are the rules & the riders knew them before they started. In fairness, it's the same in the GP itself. A rider can win just one race all night & still take the 25 pts on offer, yet another rider could ride unbeaten all evening & miss the start in the final & finish last. Right or wrong, that's the way it is.

Mmmm, countback, or a race off?

Grachan, I think you have perhaps misunderstood what Neil is trying to say. Hans is well known for being pretty ruthless on track & I think what Middlo is perhaps trying to say is it would have been better if Hans had simply ridden his own race. My experience of watching him would have suggested to me that his normal MO would have been to keep it all screwed on going into turn 3 & had that been the case, there is every chance PK would have had to slow a little, because Hans would have stopped his run. This is what he would normally do, so why didn't he do it this time? Don't think I am subscribing to the "Hans cost us the SWC" view - I am not, but it would have been better had he ridden as he normally does rather than look for PK & then shut off to make PK's third turn run clearer & easier than it would have been.

If we didn't have Sky televising the meetings, then Hans' wrong-doings wouldn't have been seen by that many Oh, well that makes it OK then Because of this Hans has got a reputation which is constantly mentioned on Sky meetings and on forums...this can't be good for the guy's career. Call me a cynic, but should he not have thought of that before he cheated? If you take away the dirtiness, Hans is a great rider What kind of comment is that? It's OK to be dirty as he is a "great" rider. Don't make me laugh.

Top class comments from a top class champion. VV take note!

I have to say I do agree with these last 2 posts, but given Hans' actions on Saturday & his penchant for swearing on live TV when interviewed, isn't he guilty of the same thing? But as a profesional sportsman, shouldn't he know better? I can't condone personal threats or bad language in a public domain, clearly they can only do the sport harm. I am sorry to say, however, that he is as bad as those that have made foul mouthed posts on his site.

VV I'm not a Poole fan so my argument isn't flawed. All this crap about the test match. That meeting was about trying riders out you fool. Middlo picked the best 5 riders available for both the qualifier & the final & they ALL did us proud. This is the first opportunity Middlo has had to select his best squad & he has led us to our best international result since 1989. To say he isn't good enough is ludicrous. He is the best man for the job & the riders respond to him. What is even more ridiculous is that you suggest Ronnie Russell as a replacement. Ronnie Russell wouldn't win a raffle if he had all the tickets. I nearly fell off my chair laughing.

Thank's la-la. Just a bit of reasoned (I would like to think) consideration after a couple of days reflection.

That's right Splatty. The reason, for example, that there is no Scotland team is that all speedway in the UK is governed by the ACU. Ergo, it has to be GB, not England.

Steve, I think you have done us all a great service by making this post. Thank you very much indeed. And, Middlo, if you get to read this, my thoughts are with you at this time of your loss, I felt for you at the end of the evening on Saturday & even more so now. Middlo's comments sum up the events of heat 25 perfectly.

I have been reading quite a lot of what has been said on the forum today - & there has been quite a lot - & refrained from posting too much, but I have to say that all the "Hans Andersen didn't race tonight for fear of his personal safety" rubbish makes me want to yak. Those people thick enough to make personal threats against Andersen aren't bright enough to know better & if they came face to face with him, probably wouldn't have the intelligence or the balls to even say anything to him, never mind do anything. And I certainly don't condone any of them. In any case, do any of them know where he lives? No. Would any of them be able to get anywhere near him? No. They know they wouldn't do anything I know they wouldn't do anything You all know they wouldn't do anything It wasn't the fact that he stopped Team GB from winning, PK was in front of Scott anyway, that has angered so many people (the genuine speedway fans, I mean), it was his actions showing a total disrespect for everyone & everything involved this last week:- The sport The tournament The occasion The organisers (BSI, BSPA, Poole, Eastbourne) The TV companies The sponsors His fellow riders But most of all? The people who pay him his income - the fans, who paid their hard earned cash - & it wasn't cheap. No-one will lay a finger on Hans Andersen - nor should they - the worst that he will get is a load of verbal aimed at him & frankly he deserves all he gets. No, Hans Andersen doesn't fear for his safety, because he is not in any danger, he simply isn't man enough to stand up & take the criticism he so clearly deserves & the fact that he is racing in Sweden tomorrow night demonstrates that clearly. He has the cheek to call himself a sportsman, but frankly he isn't worthy of the title.

Mmmm, something like that!

Bryce, I seem to be following you! Agreed on this one too!

Bryce, you are of course quite correct. The trouble is, making a complaint to the authorities will do no good, because Olsen will stick his nose in & it would all be swept under the carpet. Therefore, people vent their spleen here

I agree Richtea, the comments by the Ipswich riders are too contrived for me. And why no quote from Hans?

In fairness, there have been very few people who have threatened Hans, but this is a forum & everyone is entitled to their opinion. Threats are OTT, but opinions are there to be shared. Bear in mind, if he hadn't shut off, won the race & PK caught him or just stayed ahead of Scott, there would be no issue. As it is, he has bought the sport into disrepute by his actions. That cannot be questioned, nor can his smug attitude in interview. His non appearance at Eastbourne tonight (if that is so) demonstrates to me that he knows he did wrong. If there was nothing to be ashamed of, he would race.

Not sure if I am a bit slow off the mark, but I have seen on the GP website that the date for next year's British GP has been announced as the 11th June. Tickets on sale now!!! Sorry if everyone has already seen this.

Don't let FR get to you folks, the stirring is only being done because the Aussies weren't even good enough to reach the final, never mind challenge to win it & Ryan was anything but "flyin." Ignore those posts as they should be ignored & they will stop.

Neil, The fact that you were prepared to post here after what happened on Saturday speaks volumes for your character & you as a person. I take my hat off to you sir. You & your team deserved all the support you got & more. The name on the trophy may be Sweden, but no-one in the team GB set up could be faulted for their grit, determination, drive, ambition & desire. Many expected team GB to sink without trace in this competiton, but just a single point stopped you from becoming champions of the world. Silver was more than so many thought you & your team capable of & the whole team won a new army of fans last night. Your efforts deserved nothing less & when the boys were asked to stand up & be counted, yourself included, they did to a man. Take a bow, Neil Middleditch & the six riders who donned the team GB colours with such distinction this last week. You made me proud to say "I'm British." Winners all.

Good post Bob

I think Old Saint has it spot on. Nicholls may or may not have caught PK, the fact is we'll never know. What is certain, though is that the Swedish victory was tainted by some "assistance" from Andersen. As Old Saint says, I suspect some of them may feel a little embarassed by what happened. In fairness, they shouldn't. Also, the most valid point I have seen since the last heat was that made by Nevs, in that after 100 heats of top class speedway, with a final that goes to the last heat, some donkey tinges the meeting, tournament & sport as a whole by his actions.

Italics?