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SEC QUALIFIERS | POLISH SENSATION CIERNIAK HITS KRSKO MAX TO REACH SEC CHALLENGE

Double SGP2 champion Mateusz Cierniak took a step closer to Speedway European Championship qualification after booking his spot in the SEC Challenge with a 15-point maximum at Slovenian track Krsko on Saturday.The Lublin shooting star produced a flawless performance in his qualifying round to secure a spot in the SEC Challenge at Latvian club Daugavpils on May 12 – the day after he makes his World Championship debut as Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw wild card at the iconic PGE Narodowy next Saturday.He topped the score chart ahead of compatriot and 2017 FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Daugavpils winner Piotr Pawlicki, who scored 14 – beaten only by Cierniak. Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague wild card Vaclav Milik also booked his place in the SEC Challenge by finishing third on 12.The final qualification place went to Denmark’s Andreas Lyager, who won a run-off with Slovenian local hero, 2023 SGP2 rider Anze Grmek, after the pair tied on 11. But Grmek will hope to build on this promising form as he bids to secure an SGP2 return next month.Trans MF FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Landshut wild card Norick Blodorn fell short of qualification on 10, with Italian international Paco Castagna and Latvian star Francis Gusts missing out on nine.In the day’s other qualifier at German track Stralsund, Polish star Maciej Janowski took a stride towards the SEC with victory on the day, beating compatriot Przemyslaw Pawlicki and former Danish champion Rasmus Jensen in a run-off for first place after they all tied on 14.French international Dimitri Berge snatched the final qualification place on 11 points, with 2023 Speedway GP rider Kim Nilsson missing the top-four cut on 10 and his fellow countryman Oliver Berntzon exiting on nine.British racer Steve Worrall, Denmark’s Benjamin Basso and Latvia’s Daniils Kolodinskis all missed out on eight points.The top five riders at the SEC Challenge book their places in the four-round SEC series, which visits Debrecen on June 8, Polish club Grudziadz on July 20 and German circuit Gustrow on August 24, before concluding at Chorzow’s legendary Stadion Slaski in Poland on September 21.Reigning European champion Mikkel Michelsen and Speedway GP rivals Leon Madsen and Andzejs Lebedevs have already qualified for the SEC series after finishing in the continental championship’s 2023 top five, along with Poland’s Janusz Kolodziej and Patryk Dudek. The line-up will be completed by five permanent wild cards.This year’s Speedway European Championship winner is guaranteed a place in the 2025 Speedway GP World Championship.SEC CHALLENGE LINE-UP (in no particular order): Anders Thomsen (Denmark), Jacob Thorssell (Sweden), Kacper Woryna (Poland), Jevgenijs Kostigovs (Latvia), Timo Lahti (Sweden), Frederik Jakobsen (Denmark), Erik Riss (Germany), Bartlomiej Kowalski (Poland), Mateusz Cierniak (Poland), Piotr Pawlicki (Poland), Vaclav Milik (Czech Republic), Andreas Lyager (Denmark), Maciej Janowski (Poland), Przemyslaw Pawlicki (Poland), Rasmus Jensen (Denmark), Dimitri Berge (France).KRSKO SCORES: 1. Mateusz Cierniak 15, 2. Piotr Pawlicki 14, 3. Vaclav Milik 12, 4. Andreas Lyager 11+3, 5. Anze Grmek 11+2, 6. Norick Blodorn 10, 7. Paco Castagna 9, 8. Francis Gusts 9, 9. Matic Ivacic 6, 10. Henry van der Steen 6, 11. Truls Kamhaug 4, 12. Denis Stojs 3, 13. Steven Goret 3, 14. David Bellego 3, 15. Andrea Battaglia 2, 16. Andrei Popa 1.STRALSUND SCORES: 1. Maciej Janowski 14+3, 2. Przemyslaw Pawlicki 14+2, 3. Rasmus Jensen 14+1, 4. Dimitri Berge 11, 5. Kim Nilsson 10, 6. Oliver Berntzon 9, 7. Steve Worrall 8, 8. Benjamin Basso 8, 9. Daniils Kolodinskis 8, 10. Kevin Wolbert 7, 11. Eduard Krcmar 6, 12. Olegs Mihailovs 4, 13. Valentin Grobauer 3, 14. Matous Kamenik 2, 15. Niccolo Percotti 1, 16. Celina Liebmann 1, 17. Glenn Moi 0, 18. Patrick Hyjek DNR.

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EKSTRALIGA ROUND-UP | KOLODZIEJ SET FOR SURGERY

Polish racer Janusz Kolodziej is set for surgery after suffering a broken bone in his shoulder as well as a dislocation during Leszno’s 54-35 loss away to Grudziadz on Friday.The former Speedway GP winner crashed while leading race 12 after being caught by former teammate Jaimon Lidsey, who was disqualified, with the Pole awarded the victory.After undergoing hospital checks, Kolodziej confirmed on his official Facebook page that he suffered a dislocated shoulder as well as a fracture to his greater tubercle – the bone at the tip of the shoulder.The post read: “Janusz Kołodziej has already undergone tests. The captain of FOGO Unia Leszno suffered a dislocation of the shoulder joint with a fracture of the greater tubercle. On Monday, the rider will undergo surgery. At this point, it is difficult to say how long it will take for Janusz to return to the track. Keep your fingers crossed for Janusz.”Kolodziej ended the match with 10 paid 11 points, which still made him Leszno’s top performer. Speedway GP star Andzejs Lebedevs scored seven along with Grzegorz Zengota.Aussie ace Max Fricke led Grudziadz to victory with a 14 paid 15-point maximum, with Vadim Tarasenko also unbeaten on 13 paid 15. Former Speedway GP world champion Jason Doyle warmed up for next Saturday’s Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw by bagging 11 paid 13, with Lidsey notching nine paid 10.In Friday’s other meeting, Great Britain star Robert Lambert also maintained his strong scoring ahead of Warsaw, racing to 12 paid 13 points for Torun as they triumphed 52-38 at home to Wroclaw. Lambert was aided by a 10 paid 11-point tally from Patryk Dudek, with another former SGP Pole, Pawel Przedpelski, scoring 10.Former Speedway GP world champion Artem Laguta led Wroclaw’s score chart on 13 paid 15 from six, with Maciej Janowski adding 11, Dan Bewley recording nine and Tai Woffinden registering two.Sunday’s fixtures see Czestochowa welcome champions Lublin, before fireworks are expected as Zielona Gora hosts Gorzow the first Lubuskie derby since Falubaz’s top-flight return.For full details of Friday’s results, scorers and the latest league table, click HERE.

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MILIK MAKES MARKETA RETURN AS WILD CARD FOR PRAGUE’S 30TH SPEEDWAY GP

Czech charger Vaclav Milik returns to the nation’s biggest speedway event after being named as wild card for the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague on June 1.Milik dons the famous No.16 race jacket in the year the city celebrates its record 30th SGP round since the series debuted in picturesque Prague in 1997.The Caslav-born racer remains the only rider representing the host nation to have appeared in the FIM Czech Republic Speedway GP final, finishing third in 2017.Milik has been a real force for his country on the world stage, helping them to fifth place in the 2022 FIM Speedway of Nations Final at Danish track Vojens on a night when the Czechs finished ahead of both Poland and Finland. They followed this up by reaching the Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup Race Off in Wroclaw, Poland last summer.This will be Pardubice rider Milik’s 14th Speedway GP appearance and he won’t be flying the Czech flag alone. The Prague club’s own Jan Kvech qualified for the 2024 SGP series to become Czech Republic’s first full-time Speedway GP rider since Lukas Dryml in 2008, and the 2022 SGP2 and SON2 silver medallist will be determined to make the most of home advantage at Marketa Stadium.The Czech duo are not the only riders treated like home heroes in Prague as Slovakia’s world No.3 Martin Vaculik crosses the border, seeking his third straight Speedway GP victory at Marketa Stadium, where he watched and was inspired by the sport’s biggest stars as a child.The line-up for the Orlen FIM Czech Speedway GP is completed by track reserves Adam Bubba Bednar and Daniel Klima. At just 17 years old, former SGP3 rider Bednar hopes to make his Speedway GP debut on his home track as he wears the No.17 race jacket. He’s joined by 2022 SGP2 rider Klima, who lines up at No.18.Tickets for the 2024 Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague are still available online. To secure your spot at Marketa Stadium, click HERE.

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SEC QUALIFIERS | MAX MAN THOMSEN CRUISES INTO SEC CHALLENGE

Danish star Anders Thomsen took a step closer to Speedway European Championship qualification after storming through his qualifier with a 15-point maximum in Debrecen on Wednesday.Thomsen is bidding for an instant Speedway GP comeback for the 2025 season and lifting the SEC title this year would offer him an automatic return to the SGP stage.He qualified for the SEC Challenge at Latvian track Daugavpils with an unbeaten display in Hungary, with former Swedish champion Jacob Thorssell making it through on 14 points.There was a three-rider run-off for the final two places, with Poland’s Kacper Woryna taking the win ahead of Latvia’s Jevgenijs Kostigovs as former SGP regular Antonio Lindback missed out in third place. The trio tied on 12.Ukrainian international Stanislav Melnychuk fell short on nine points, with Great Britain international Adam Ellis and Germany’s Marius Hillebrand exiting on eight.Swedish international Timo Lahti took a step closer to an SEC return with victory in the day’s other qualifier at Austrian circuit Mureck. The former Finnish international collected 14 points with only Denmark’s Frederik Jakobsen beating him in his opening heat.Jakobsen made the cut on 12 alongside two-time FIM Long Track world champion Erik Riss of Germany. Poland’s 2023 SGP2 bronze medallist Bartlomiej Kowalski was the final qualifier on 11 points after winning a run-off with GB’s Tom Brennan.Former world No.2 Jaroslaw Hampel was a surprise casualty on 10 points – a total matched by Latvian international Ricards Ansviesulis.The remaining qualifiers for the SEC Challenge take place at German venue Stralsund and former FIM Slovenian Speedway GP track Krsko on Saturday. The top four riders in both meetings advance to Daugavpils, where the first five book their places in the four-round SEC series, which visits Debrecen on June 8, Polish club Grudziadz on July 20 and German circuit Gustrow on August 24, before concluding at Chorzow’s legendary Stadion Slaski in Poland on September 21.Reigning European champion Mikkel Michelsen and Speedway GP rivals Leon Madsen and Andzejs Lebedevs have already qualified for the SEC series after finishing in the continental championship’s 2023 top five, along with Poland’s Janusz Kolodziej and Patryk Dudek.DEBRECEN SCORES: 1. Anders Thomsen 15, 2. Jacob Thorssell 14, 3. Kacper Woryna 12+3, 4. Jevgenijs Kostigovs 12+2, 5. Antonio Lindback 12+1, 6. Stanislav Melnychuk 9, 7. Marius Hillebrand 8, 8. Adam Ellis 8, 9. Marko Levishyn 7, 10. Sandro Wassermann 6, 11. Norbert Magosi 5, 12. Jan Janicek 4, 13. Tino Bouin 3, 14. Nicklas Sayrio 2, 15. Luka Omerzel 1, 16. Julian Kuny 1, 17. Roland Kovacs 1, 18. Richard Fuzesi DNR.MURECK SCORES: 1. Timo Lahti 14, 2. Frederik Jakobsen 12, 3. Erik Riss 12, 4. Bartlomiej Kowalski 11+3, 5. Tom Brennan 11+2, 6. Jarosław Hampel 10, 7. Ricards Ansviesulis 10, 8. Andrei Karpov 7, 9. Daniel Gappmaier 7, 10. Jan Macek 6, 11. Hynek Stichauer 5, 12. Mathias Tresarrieu 4, 13. Jakub Valkovic 4, 14. Nicolas Vicentin 3, 15. Roman Kapustin 3, 16. Milen Manev 0.

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KUBERA: MIXED EMOTIONS AFTER REACHING CROATIAN SEMIS

Polish star Dominik Kubera admits he had mixed feelings after reaching the Boll FIM Speedway GP of Croatia semi-finals on his full-time series debut last Saturday.The Lublin and Lejonen star picked up just two race points in his first three rides but hit back with two straight victories to book his place in the last eight.Despite finishing fourth in semi one, Kubera can still be content with what is his fourth semi-final in five Speedway GP appearances, dating back to his debut as a wild card at the 2021 FIM Lublin Speedway GP double-header, when he reached back-to-back podiums.Kubera was happy to depart Donji Kraljevec with nine championship points, but admits lessons were learned. He said: “I am happy and not happy with myself. The last three races were really good for me, and I am happy with this.“It’s the GP. The riders are really good. I made too many mistakes in my first three heats. But I must learn all the time and I am happy with my score.“I am really happy to have made the semi-final. We changed everything in the heats, and it was close in the semi. I had a really good start and they pushed me out to the middle of the track.”Kubera has the chance to finally make his Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw debut on May 11. He was due to race in the 2023 event but crashed out of Qualifying Practice with a back injury.“Of course, I want to go better than last year,” he said. “I have more experience and I am looking forward to it. If it goes like it did in Croatia when I go to Warsaw, I will be happy. I think reaching the semi-final would be okay for me, but I need to concentrate and focus to get there.”

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SEC QUALIFIERS | POLISH SENSATION CIERNIAK HITS KRSKO MAX TO REACH SEC CHALLENGE

EKSTRALIGA ROUND-UP | KOLODZIEJ SET FOR SURGERY

MILIK MAKES MARKETA RETURN AS WILD CARD FOR PRAGUE’S 30TH SPEEDWAY GP

SEC QUALIFIERS | MAX MAN THOMSEN CRUISES INTO SEC CHALLENGE

KUBERA: MIXED EMOTIONS AFTER REACHING CROATIAN SEMIS