Danish Leon Madsen scored 15 points in the Polish league on Sunday afternoon. This is good news before Saturday's big World Cup showdown in Cardiff. On the minus side is the fact that World Cup winner Bartosz Zmarzlik just won in Cardiff last year. If Madsen still has a real gold chance, he will have to score 5-7 points on Zmarzlik in the Welsh port city.
By Ib Søby
After the convincing victory in Vojens, Bartosz Zmarzlik held a quick press conference in the equestrian yard. He was happy about his 3rd Grand Prix victory this season, but immediately lowered his expectations and become Poland's next World Champion:
& #8211; It's not settled at all yet. There are still four drivers who can win the World Cup this year, Zmarzlik told the press, referring to Saytfudinov, Madsen and Lindgren.
With his club Gorzow out of the Polish medal race, Zmarzlik can relax and train up for this weekend's big event in Cardiff. In my eyes, maybe he can secure the title on Saturday. If he is flying like in Vojens, Saytfudinov, Madsen and Lindgren must really get up early. It is quite possible that Zmarzlik increases his lead, thus coming to the season finale in Torun, October 4, missing three to five points.
What intoxication it will give in the Polish speedway!
Imagine if Zmarzlik becomes the speedway-happy nation's third world champion, after Jerzy Szczakiel in 1973 and Tomasz Gollob in 2010, at home. This is a scenario that organizers in Torun are hoping for. It certainly does not want Zmarzlik to become champion on Saturday.
One of the top four in the table ends up as a buck - with no medal, so in any case the tension will remain intact, right up to Torun.
Around the top eight, with direct departures for 2020, there will continue to be excruciatingly dense traffic. Iversen seems to be strengthening lately, and his awareness that he has already secured himself in the qualifying final may give the last jump ahead.
Danish speedway and especially Funen Anders Thomsen hope so. If two drivers out of Iversen, Zagar and Vaculik, finish in the top eight, Thomsen should be promoted to grand prix running, by virtue of his fine 5th place in the qualifying.
Two Danes have won the Grand Prix series most prestigious race, which the British Grand Prix is truly. Nicki Pedersen in 2003 and Niels Kr. Iversen in 2015.
Back in 1997 Brian Andersen also won the British Grand Prix, but it was then in Bradford before moving to Wales in 2001.
Danish Jesper Stentoft is a judge in Cardiff.
Remember the first heat is already running 17. 15 Danish time.
World Cup position:
1. Bartosz Zmarzlik, Poland 103
2. Emil Saytfudinov, Russia 94
3. Leon Madsen, Denmark 92
4. Frederik Lindgren, Sweden 87
5. Martin Vaculik, Slovakia 79
6. Maciej Janowski, Poland 73
7. Patryk Dudek, Poland 72
8. Matej Zagar, Slovenia 65
...
9. Artem Laguta, Russia 63
10. Niels Kr. Iversen, Denmark 61
11. Jason Doyle, Australia 60
12. Janusz Kolodziej, Poland 50
13. Antonio Lindbäck, Sweden 47
14. Tai Woffinden, United Kingdom 46
15. Max Fricke, Australia 36