Subedei

Might as well change this title to "What a mess" as it looks to me like all the British riders failed in Motala.

Ah well, should keep the uber-golem happy if nothing else.

Was that the Bjarne Pedersen one - when the tapes rose inconsistently. Or was that race re-run? I think Wojaczek was the referee on that occasion as well. Edit: Just checked and that heat was re-run, in spite of the referee having already called the decision: http://www.speedwayupdates.proboards103.co...&thread=233 I remember the furore about it at the time.

It would certainly be interesting to see Wojaczek refereeing a fixture at the EoES. I know that Hans Andersen was excluded earlier in the season for "leaving the track" in a Polish league fixture, so it's obviously something Polish referees (or maybe Wojaczek was referee on that occasion) keep an eye on. He'd surely have a field day at the EoES. But, in some respects, I admire his approach to refereeing. Apparently, according to the Speedway Star, the riders were told by Wojaczek at the pre-meeting briefing not to expect all four back decisions at the first bend. I quite like that approach. I just think that he called it wrong and that if anyone went, it had to be Nicki P. All this talk of Adams and Bjarne Pedersen moving "off their line" has to be taken in context. Nicki P started about a foot from the safety fence and collided with a rider about a yard off the kerb. As it happens, I'd have been inclined to give Nicki P the benefit of the doubt on the first one and then excluded him on the second, when I'd have decided to was just taking the....

Anyway, I heard a rumour that the problem with the track at Cardiff is that the material used is supplied at a knock down rate and then returned to the supplier for subsequent re-sale, which means that the track staff aren't able to add any additional materials to help the track to bond. I gather that the material used at Copenhagen is a mixture of materials that has been bought by the organisors and is stored in between the GPs at the Parken.

That's never a good sign, is it?

Just killing the fatted calf, if you ask me. If the intention is to run at Cardiff and Wembley, they'll just cannibalize each other.

Now, can you really see that working? Bob Dugard likes to be the boss, master of all he surveys, but Olsen rules the roost at the GPs.

The Vastervik track can't be that big. The track record is only 55.2 seconds.

Would this be the same Forsberg who has been 5-1ed twice tonight by the Messings on his home track in Sweden?

Don't be silly, young Shovlar. Lindback might've been worth a punt if the "reserve" option from last season was still around. The biggest surprise from Sweden is the omission of PK, while it's interesting to see both Lagutas in for Russia. I thought the elder Laguta wanted to be Latvian? Edit: And, while I remember, what a complete clown Lynch is if that is the way Great Britain is going to line up. You should have one of your top riders in Ht 25, but he's loaded his big guns to go out in Hts 21, 22 and 23.

Seems to be the same story from Poland: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2008/07/...-puchar-swiata/

Only really worthwhile selecting unSteady if it was being held at Workington, which it isn't.

No one pays any attention to places 4-16, do they. Neither Nicki P nor the British champion completed the final and as such neither should've been on the rostrum. I would've had two riders only on the podium and nominally awarded the British champion third on the basis he scored more points than Nicki P.

I personally think it an awful idea. But, then again, I'd not allow replacements for tape touching in the first place and having riders handicapped without proper facilities (i.e., a second starting gate) is just plain stupid.

I wonder if young Shovlar remembers the conversation? Sorry, couldn't resist. Mind you, I didn't try that hard.

I think a Czech site missed Woffinden doing likewise in the Under-21 SWC at Pardubice. Ah well, thank you for clarifying that tomazpozrl.

It seems that sportowefakty.pl have somewhat differing individual scorers for Finland, which they appear to have culled from a Czech site: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2008/06/...ada-w-coventry/

I doubt Nicki P really cares what people think. I suggest his broad grin entering the pits after strolling amid the cascade of boos and catcalls bears that out. His more immediate concern would be that, notwithstanding making the final, he looked pedestrian for much of the time in Cardiff, while Jason Crump finally looks to be back on the pace in the GPs.

I do believe rabbit has been on a speedway bike, have you?

I've never said he's a cheat. But one cheats when you have something to gain. For example, people might cheat in examinations to get a pass. But in the final, Nicki P had nothing to gain from staying down, did he?

I thought my explanation was neutral - you'd have to watch it yourself and make your own mind up. The referee, who may have been Marek Wojaczek (was either him or Tony Steele), called all four back and was heavily criticised for it.

What would he have gained from staying down in the final?

We're going back to Prague in 2004 (I think) for that one, young lady - the one in the rain, when Nicki P and Hancock clashed exiting turn two and Hancock ended up cart-wheeling down the straight.

What prospect was there in staying down in the final? Not even Marek Wojaczek (mind you, Graham Flint probably could've, if he'd been in the mood to) could've excluded anyone other than Nicki P. Thus, he had nothing to gain from stopping the final, did he?