spook

really? One guy who always has fantastic machinery but limited skill on the bike compared to his peers and another guy who doesnt usually have fantastic machinery but has bags of talent i'd like Chris to become more professional and nail the machinery side of things but i'd still take the talent over machinery for the series

once again thx for running this TNT its been good fun ok my riders if i have understood this correctly are: Picks Gollob Sayfutdinov Harris Crump Predicted Hancock 8 Pedersen 5 Laguta 4 Sayfutdinov 13 Finalists Gollob Sayfutdinov Crump Jonsson

hmmm from what I saw the majority of those posts were coming from Darcy fans..... who for the record is now ready imo................ it may also be as a result of Emil as well... but realistically, those two aside, although destined for good things the U21 world champion isnt usually quite ready for GP standard I think the solution for finding out if riders are ready is for there to be a 2nd wildcard on the night. Leave it to just one and IMG will only ever rarely and reluctantly give out one to a non local .... make it two and there is lots of room for guys to get their chance.................. personally I like the idea of 3 or 4 riders getting a WC for 3 or 4 consecutive GP's each

Ghostwalker oops I'd forgotten Pepe is back to haunt us again next year re: 30 points behind #8 in GP's or 1pt behind #3 in Challenge ...... its all swings and roundabouts GW ...... I think what the GP era has shown us up to now is that a rider has to be ready and prepared........... I also like the look of Janowski and Vaculik but the question of if they are ready or would be prepared is a different one entirely... and in itself a question that isnt easy to know the answer to as how do we know until they get there? I agree with you that entering the qualifiers is important and the intention of it should be mandatory for any Wildcard hopeful... however everything is telling us that BSI dont share our feelings, as with the quote below, if anything it provides BSI with more options if those in contention dont go and have a disastrous qualifying campaign for everyone to point and refer to link I think you are being too literal tbh GW ..... we know for right or for wrong IMG/BSI's wilcard behaviour usually depends on a few aspects..... 1) quota.... if there are 4 riders qualified from your nation for next year forget about getting a wildcard..... and in recent years it has even come down to 3.......... 2) does your face fit?..... there havent been too many jarring episodes but Holta and Andersen both come to mind....... 3) did you finish within a respectable distance of the top 8?...... its really only been Bomber where IMG relaxed this one........... 4) is it financially imperative that your nation is represented by x riders?..... in recent years this has become obvious because of poor British results...... but we have seen it in effect to a lesser degree with the Swedes and the Danes over the years, getting a 3rd or 4th rider in ...... and no doubt the 'British problem' will be experienced by some unfortunate nation in the future

I think BSI have a difficult decision to make this year as I am sure that they like to keep things fresh and would prefer that the same guys werent offered wildcards...... Bomber has had rubbish machinery this season but ultimately who's fault is that? If being in the top 8 of the world involves managing equipment as well as blasting around the boards (and the occasional good gate) then that is what must be achieved............ I dont buy into the sob story of this season....... there are only two guys who have dropped (plummeted) out of the top 8, and Rune has been mangled up for most of it All that said, Bomber just reminded everyone of what he can achieve, and with another podium could in fact catch back up to a respectable points position In the case of Freddie, Bomber & Nicki (yes Nicki 3 time world champion Pedersen is also about to make it 2 years on the bounce failing to make it in the top 8) I guess in the end aside from corporate requirements, it needs to be decided who is ready and good enough to take their places The top 10 (for example) from Dolgin's ratings system not currently included in the GP's are: Pepe, Grigory Laguta, Sully, Zagar, Gapinski, Kylmakorpi, Miedzinski, Walasek, Kasprzak, Rico........... Pepe, Sully, Zagar, Walasek, Kasprzak and Rico have already had poor seasons adrift and propping up the table (in most cases more than once)......... Laguta is the only one who stands out for me as being able to rival Freddie, Bomber or Nicki over a GP series the only other guy on Dolgin's list i'd consider is #31 THJ and then we have the finances, team and machinery that a rider is bringing with him into the competition....... it has been quite clear that some of the previously mentioned guys just did not invest enough or put the right guys around them in the seasons where they were the whipping boys................ if Laguta is going to have the same machinery and investment as his brother then surely it does more harm than good? I suspect in the end Bomber will get the wildcard, even if he probably won't deserve it..... if he does get it then he should bloody well make sure that he picks up next year where he left off........... if he doesnt get the wildcard then it will be due to him being beyond rubbish in Gorzow

emil sayfutdinov Jason Crump greg hancock andreas jonsson

I understand where you are coming from White Knight but the old world championship died a death many years ago and in its place is the Grand Prix system which has been sold off to IMG....... those are the facts whether we like them or not If we cast our eyes around at other motor sports there is on the whole a complete lack of 'qualification' to become part of a championship...... and even those that do have some form of it such as Motocross and Supercross most certainly also hand out invitations I've said it before and i'll say it again.... the last couple of GP seasons have seen the toughest 'world championship' lineups in my lifetime and I would wager since before the eastern bloc riders started taking part It seems a bit odd that we continually have this discussion in threads that are actually nothing to do with it.... maybe you should start a thread where we can do it to death? edit: and arent most sports becoming WWE exaggerated?

with the exception of last season he always had to endure those very slick Ole Olsen gating paradises as well................. of course true world class riders should be able to deal with all conditions but the same track prep also ended Loramski's world stage The last GP was desperate to watch as far as Bomber goes as not only did his momentum end but realistically it spelt the end of his chances of a top 8....... he is going to have to have 3 very good gp's now to 'show BSI' that he is worthy Unless IMG regard Darcy as being enough to put bums on Cardiff seats then I can see Tai coming back in. The Brits are at an all time low but the need to have at least one hasnt changed in the BSI/IMG offices for a very long time

Harris Gollob Crump Holder cheers

I'll eat my hand if there isnt a Brit permanently in the GP field next year. It would be preferable if Bomber can string some decent performances together though and qualify as of right again. The handouts are an embarrasment. Fully agree about guys not entering qualifiers being pathetic Henry, its become a game of chess and diplomacy. Time for a shake up and it being mandatory that anyone not finishing in the top 8 has to enter Qualification the following season if they want a chance to participate in the GP's the year after that........ I suspect though that it is IMG more than anyone else who is happy with things the way they are as it allows them more options happy about Antonio qualifying and he is starting to look like the guy that everyone tipped him to be........... what a shame though that the fast rising Vaculik didnt quite get there... and instead Pepe did! ....... Pepe can be a great rider to watch... but as he has proven time and time again... not in the GP's................... and hopefully we will be getting the new Bjarne instead of the old one

being completely honest its a lineup that makes me shudder... its full of ex gp guys .. including ones who were whipping boys.... but the alternatives on the whole are young or not so obviously the standard of the gp guys I guess i'm hoping for Antonio to qualify and then after him 2 guys who are going to be able to get the right money and machinery to compete............. I wouldnt begrudge Hans getting back in either as he was unlucky to be left out in the first place

I've been saying for years that strategically placed cameras on bends 2 and 3 within a closed circuit television system, would help refs get a view of those blind spots for a low price tag the same system could be applied facing the tapes....... the ref would have his own digital footage, able to be 'rewound' and played back at his leisure

makes complete sense and shouldnt be expensive or difficult to impliment

looks like you caught one to remember! the music sounded like techno from the bits that filtered through on Sky

Holder did have a big hand in it.... but he wasnt at fault imo With Chris coming up the inside Emil had two choices.... strategically get hit by Chris and go down...... or stick on the anchors........................... he decided to take the third option which didnt exist.... on that surface anyway

What a great GP with a stupendous final.... and just the tonic that the series needed! I wasnt sure about the track at first (along with several of the riders ) but it just goes to prove that we should not have clone surfaces in the championship I can only echo others on Emil.... I actually think his issue is arrogance... he is so skilled and sharp with his reflexes that he rides like he is invincible......... he would do well to watch footage of Greg, Leigh and Jason in the name of self preservation, or his career will be blighted by injuries to himself and others............. just like Nicki though, he is pure gold for the competition So what is happening with Tomasz? His scores are tailing off drastically but at least in Cardiff and Terenzano he was on the pace............. last night he was so badly off the pace it wasnt true........ this was like the Tomasz of 3+ years ago who would have a few very duff GP's........ and like someone who, along with his pit crew, are scratching their heads over machinery Glad to see Bomber pick up the pace and now edge in front of Janusz .... as someone else said, it is going to be difficult to catch up to 8th.... but what is possible is to catch up to Nicki, Freddie and a more easily given WC .......... would love to see Chris do what he did in the final third of last season though, and qualify as of right

Not talking about other countries... why are you? Yes there were 4 on the go but the field was also a lot bigger then..... and like you said they werent replaced to the point where BSI/IMG were quite happy for Leigh and Jason to represent........... even the Russians have 2 now

I don't see it as inevitable at all..... rightly or wrongly history tells us that Aussies are only allowed one in the door when one leaves.... unless they qualify really pleased Darcy gets his chance and IMG break the way they dish out the 16th berth ........... understand the Poles not liking being the start of it but with 4 riders and a probable packed house already it is a smart move

hmmm must do better Lindback Holder Hancock Hampel cheers

In my lifetime there have been 2nd division riders who have made it all the way or gave it a damn good go in qualification...... the last of which was Stoney .............. my favourite campaign was Martin Goodwin's I guess a major difference between now and Jack Young's time is that it is a GP series........ the very nature of which massively reduces what was a season long qualifying campaign as it would surely be impossible to run both together and expect riders to turn out for league clubs as well.......... consequently the qualifying doesn't involve as many 2nd tier riders as it once did Unless you are proposing a return to the old world final format then it is difficult to argue against a lot of what has been honed and refined within the GP system. Is a return for the top 8 without sense? Is a WC on the night for a 16th rider unreasonable? .......... there is an argument that there should be less permanent WC's for IMG to dish out and more qualifying spots...permanent WC's in my opinion should be about injury eg Sayfutdinov.... but even then despite those coming from the GP qualifier perhaps having more of a moral right, they usually disappoint and prop up the standings the following season. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do know that although they havent got everything right, IMG have got a hell of a lot right. I don't begrudge them the odd square block in round hole because the house of cards collapsing doesnt even bare thinking about

this is not new though WK is it? IMG and BSI have been doing this for years........ it kills some of the romance of the world championships and that is difficult to defend.... just like a devaluation of the FA cup, Wimbledon, or a British F1 GP but the irony is that anyone would find it extremely difficult to find stronger lineups in the world championships than we have had for the last couple of years.....

all good points and ones that I had overlooked..... re: Bomber not entering into the qualifiers.... he wasnt alone and I think the increasing trend in recent years for current GP riders not to enter is probably based on the WC habits of IMG....... maybe the attitude is that to crash out of the qualifiers or have a bad showing could result in a diminished stock value Sounds like Tai has ruffled a few feathers on the GP circuit I agree that Bomber has always had the potential to be a top 5 rider, but it is unfulfilled imho... top riders get the job done like Chris did in the final third of last season's GP's ...... instinctive gating, fast bikes, and smart on track decisions People have rightly listed off his other poor GP standings down the years but one thing that has been forgotten here, and one that I know you are loathe to agree with Philip, is the effect of the Ole prepared tracks through those years...... it was no suprise to me that Bomber thrived last season once his machinery had been sorted, because we were getting some track prep aimed at encouraging passing, not tracks that suited gaters and a fear of rain............. unfortunately for Bomber his gating, machinery and the track preps have been out of sorts this season..... but it is the same for everyone and is ultimately the difference re: where Gollob was at age 28..... ImpartialOne is right, he wasnt flunking to the tune that Bomber has but I do remember him regularly being stubborn about his choice of lines to the degree where his common sense had to be questioned (right up until the last few years)....... it took Tomasz many years to sort it out, along with the reckless moves....... Tomasz and Greg prove that there is hope, but for me it is significant that Chris made a real breakthrough last season and has followed that up with this slump... silencers or no silencers

ok so if he is to be stuck with who makes way for him out of Koldziej, Bjerre, Lindgren and Lindback? You cannot fit 17 riders into 16 places and 9th to 12th positions shouldnt come below 13th in the pecking order Bomber's only chance is that he 1) breaks into the top 12 ... and 2) stays relatively on the pace of the top 8 (he is currently 20 points behind.. or 3) he finishes in the top 13 on pace and someone retires

It can't be Harris as things stand because he isnt even in the top 12... in fact relatively he isnt even close to the top 12........... this historically is where IMG chop to another British rider... but even then they have to try to make the room in a way that doesnt appear outrageous and that is the key really btw full respect to said welshman as there is nothing worse than someone who emigrates but doesnt accept their new nationality.... in any case from what I have heard from others who have emigrated to Oz, unlike here it is a requirement as the locals take a dim view of it otherwise