Subedei

But probably a lot cheaper to stage the GPs in Eskilstuna, Prague, Krsko, Daugavpils, Malilla, Lonigo...

Well, in my view both sides tried to pull flankers in this meeting, with Torun signing Johnston and Leszno using rider replacement for Hampel. It worked out for Leszno and didn't for Torun. Johnston was always a weird call from Torun - it should surely have been obvious that Johnston would be out of his depth in the Ekstraliga. It's one thing to score points at reserve in the Elite League (notice the points have dried up since he's moved back into the main body of Coventry's team), but quite another against a higher class of opposition in Poland.

Probably after Zagar's blood - a pathetic performance from Zagar tonight, by the looks of things.

Looks like being the first shock to IMG's system.

Yes and a certain serial failure could always have had the "wild card" for Cardiff this year. Zagar qualified for 2007 by right, unlike a former British champion, and should be given a second chance.

I heard Hans Andersen was using GMs these days - is it true?

They lost to a team that finished 9 points behind them in the table and a team that they defeated home and away in the regular season.

That's a massive crowd for Vastervik. But Vastervik were badly let down by Iversen, Ulamek and Chrzanowski in Malilla and that did for them. Malilla had too many tactical options. Let's face facts, only the two reserve heats (2 and 11) gave Vastervik victory on the night. Sebastian Ulamek should be hanging his head in shame - disgraceful performances on Monday, Tuesday and now Wednesday. And Iversen and Chrzanowski weren't much better for Vastervik, while even Gollob and BP could've done a lot better.

Sadly, Lindback can blame no one but himself and those who advise him. He's given an object lesson in how to destroy a promising career.

I'd make Leszno favourites to win after yesterday. They're "top line" of Adams, Kasprzak, Hampel and Balinski should score enough to get them the win on aggregate. I think they'd be better off drafting Miskowiak into the team and putting Batchelor at reserve ahead of Pavlic, since Torun's reserve pairing of Marcinkowski and Zabik had a field day yesterday, which is just as well. Can Torun operate rider replacement for Robert Kosciecha? That would seem a better option than either Dryml or Zagar, both of whom may have a prior engagement in Pardubice anyway. But neither would be a great loss - Zagar in particular is becoming an embarrassment. I just don't understand why Jan Zabik allowed such a joke as Zagar to have four rides yesterday? Should be an interesting meeting in Torun, but for Unibax to stand a chance they're going to need big performances from Jagus, Sullivan and Zabik.

Would do Hampel no harm at all to spend a season out of the GPs and kicking his heels every other Saturday - he's just been pottering around in the middle-order. A season out would give him the kind of incentive it gave to Andersen last season - a kick up the backside that seems well needed.

And with the first leg of the final not being televised, it seems that Unia Leszno are expecting a full house of 20,000 on Sunday.

And the mighty Gollob leads Vastervik to their third final in as many years. But this time Vastervik will face different opponents in Dackarna Malilla, after dismissing current champions Vetlanda, the team they've faced in the 2005 and 2006 finals.

Well, the current Polish champion hasn't done to well on the two occasions he's been No 4 - 2 points in Lonigo and 5 points in Copenhagen. Others to be No 4 are Ulamek (6 points), BP (3 points), Lindback (0 points), Zagar (2 points), Jagus (5 points) and Jonsson (6 points). Jagus is an interesting one. No 4 gets you gate 4 twice and Jagus was No 4 at Bydgoszcz, where gate 4 was working very well and provided the winner of the final.

Are you questioning the professionalism of the former British champion, since he hasn't managed to avoid it? I think he was No 4 at Cardiff and did make the semi-finals. Lindgren also made the semis at No 4 in Malilla.

In fairness, young Turner, the No 4 slot hasn't exactly attracted the cream of the crop, has it? None of the current top four in the standings has thus far raced a GP at No 4.

Interesting off-track times ahead for the GPs, I suspect. At the minute it is not altogether clear in which direction IMG see the circus taking. When the take-over was announced I speculated that IMG would perhaps look to have central contracts for the permanent fifteen. But that would entail IMG and the FIM significantly increasing payments to the riders in order to have a manner of control over them. But could the GPs sustain that? At the minute the GPs are largely subsidised by the various leagues - the leagues are the major paymasters of the riders, with the GPs being a "glory trip". It all comes down to IMG's understanding of the dynamics of the sport and Postlethwaite's brief sojourn in the BEL didn't illustrate much understanding - all of a sudden he was on the other side of the fence and what a mess he made of it. The GPs were easy money for Postlethwaite.

And here's the full list of winners so far: 1..T Rickardsson..(SWE)..20 2..J Crump..(AUS)..16 3..T Gollob..(POL)..11 4=..N Pedersen..(DEN)..8 4=..G Hancock..(USA)..8 6=..B Hamill..(USA)..6 6=..H Nielsen..(DEN)..6 6=..L Adams..(AUS)..6 9..R Sullivan..(AUS)..4 10=..T Knudsen..(DEN)..3 10=..H Andersen..(DEN)..3 12=..M Loram..(GBR)..2 12=..A Jonsson..(SWE)..2 14=..B Andersen..(DEN)..1 14=..M Dugard..(GBR)..1 14=..B Pedersen..(DEN)..1 14=..C Harris..(GBR)..1 I believe the former British champion and global superstar has featured in 55 GPs and hasn't won a single one - is that a record? Or has some other clown ridden in more and achieved less?

I can't see Holta getting two more points that the former British champion in Germany, unless said former British champion implodes. Always prepare oneself for the worst case scenario.

It changed with yesterday's GP in Krsko - I expected Jagus, Holta and Jonsson to have good GPs, while the former British champion struggled. Jagus did okay, Jonsson was poor and Holta was excellent, but the former British champion matched him point for point. I expected the circus to go to Germany with the former British champion 4-5 points adrift of Jagus, Holta and Jonsson, but it isn't going to be that way. Only an implosion in Germany can stop the former British champion staying eighth. By the way, I still consider Jagus, Holta and Jonsson superior riders to the former British champion.

He remains infinitely better than Pearson.

Holta won't get back in, unless he's top eight and I think that beyond him now - the former British champion has eighth in the bag now. That's my opinion. Holta has no powerful support to get him a nomination. The Poles won't care. I'd not have Hampel back in - okay, he missed a couple of GPs, but he's just messing about now. Give him a year kicking his heels and see what he makes of that. I do think Kasprzak will be GPing next season. Hancock may bow out. Who knows? The German GP will be his 100th GP and would seem a suitable time to take a bow, but you never know. He started the season so well, but something seemed to happen to him after he left Reading. Maybe he thought taking the UK out of his calendar would put him on easy street and he became complacent. It happens. Zagar I feel deserves a second chance. He qualified well last season and why shouldn't he have another chance after the former British champion has had so many?

Andersen's form in Sweden and especially Poland has been indifferent for a while now - stronger leagues are finding him out, although he still cuts the mustard in the BEL. I'd say he's on the wrong engines, rather like Zagar: if you're on Jawa you're getting toasted in the GPs.

And that's why Postlethwaite was able to delude the masses as to the "success" he was making of the GPs - he got the riders for a pittance. If the GPs had to pay the riders a decent amount, they'd crash and burn. At the minute the GPs are essentially subsidised by the various leagues paying the riders.

It says that in the statutes of the FIM does it?