The Poles are coming to Britain... and they want the Speedway World Cup

Poland are the first team to join host nation Britain in next Saturday’s Monster Energy Speedway World Cup Final at Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium.

An exciting young Polish team won tonight’s qualifier in Vojens, Denmark from the home nation and Russia.

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Led by national champion Patryk Dudek, Poland were consistently clear of the field, although the Danes did rally in the latter stages before the Poles pulled clear again in the last two heats.

Polish captain Maciej Janowski, the oldest rider in the team at just 24, said afterwards: “I’m really proud of my team tonight and I think I need to buy them some cold beers because I was not in such a good position tonight and scored only seven points!”

Poland have been slightly subdued on the world stage since the heyday of national hero Tomasz Gollob, the 2010 world champion, but their youthful riders are now starting to make their mark on world speedway.

Favourites for the final

The Poles are likely to be favourites to take the title in Manchester. Having beaten Denmark on a track that suited the home riders more than the visitors, Poland will enjoy the faster, banked turns of the recently-built National Speedway Stadium.

The British team, led by world individual champion Tai Woffinden, lack the all-round firepower of the Poles, but will be hoping a surge of patriotism can carry them to extra heights.

Britain’s four-man team will see Woffinden joined by teenage hotshot Robert Lambert, national champ Danny King and Craig Cook, who rides for the Belle Vue club based at the National Speedway Stadium that’s staging the final.

The third of the four teams will be decided in Tuesday’s second qualifier at Vastervik, Sweden. There the Swedes, defending the title they won last year, will face Australia, the USA and Germany with the winners going direct to the final.

The teams who finish second and third in Sweden on Tuesday will go to Friday’s last-chance qualifier, also taking place at the National Speedway Stadium. Denmark and Russia are already confirmed as their opposition after finishing second and third tonight.

Russia’s qualification for Friday’s Race-Off means a rare chance for British fans to watch Emil Sayfutdinov race in this country. The former world junior champion was the individual star of the show in tonight’s qualifier, claiming five wins from his six races.

Tickets are still available for both Friday’s Race-Off and Saturday’s Final – go to www.speedwaygp.com for details.

 

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