Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127793
SPEEDWAY . Workl"lndlYiduill Championship serieS Round 3: German Grand Prix (Left) The main man: Reigning World Champion Hans Nielsen scored his second A-final win in as many rounds and took a . commanding point lead with his victory at the German Grand Prix. (Below) Tony Rlckardsson of Swedan was the ,only rider to defeat Nielsen'all night. The 1994 World Champion from Sweden finished fourth in the A final. By John Hlpkiss POCKING, GERMANY, JUtY6 ain Dane Hans Nielsen seems certain to win a second successive World title after rurming up a convincing win at the German Grand Prix in Pocking. The only thing that may stop the reigning World Champion from taking the sport's ultimate crown again is if the current feud over tires is not sorted out before the next round in Sweden next month. A press conference prior to the German Grand Prix reported a breakdown in talks between the sport's governing body - the FIM - and the Speedway Grand Prix Riders' Association regarding the use of solid-block tires. ielsen, an executive member of the Grand Prix Riders' Association, is confident a compromise can be reached to rescue the remainder of the series, which includes rounds in Sweden, England and Denmark - but the ball is very much in the court of the FIM. Nielsen admits something needs to be done about the standard of safety and racing. He was so far ahead in Pocking on a big track affected by rain that it made the racing sometimes boring and predictable. At times he was nothing short of half a straight ahead of his rivals, which made the meeting less than exciting, and it seems certain that steps will be taken to try to slow the sport down. QUALIFYING HEATS 16 Australla's Leigh Adams got the meeting off to a start with a comfortable win from the gate, and it was all up to American duo Billy Ha.miIl and Sam Ermolenko to provide the excitement. Bu t Hamill easily passed Ermolenko to take second place on the track where Ermolenko earned his World Championship crown in 1993. Ermolenko edged out England's Marvyn Cox for third place to take one point. Ermolenko was only brought in as a last-minute replacement for injured Dane Tommy Knudsen, and it was obvious that the American was shll not 100 percent fit after fracturing his pelvis at the previous round in Lonigo, Haly. Hamill was also suffering, but with a flu virus, which kept him subdued, and there is no doubt that this affected his performance. Hamill had been in both A finals leading up to the German round, but he hardly showed any signs of repeating the achievements as he struggled to make the starts. Heats two and three were won right from the gate by Sweden's Tony Rickardsson and American Greg Hancock, respecti:vely. Hancock made a lively start, and he looked ready to challenge for a place in the A final. Nielsen's first ride came in heat four, and he was pushed hard in the early stages to get the better of Sweden's Henka Gustafsson, but again the latter stages of the race were boring as he pulled clear with no competition. Hancock won heat five in fine style although he did not quite look as fast as Nielsen, but after two successive wins he was in a comfortable position after edging out Gustafsson. Hamill had to work hard for a point in heat six after chasing Jason Crump, and at the same time he had to fight off the challenge of Mark Loram while Germany's Gerd Riss was the clear winner. Nielsen was just as convincing a winner in heat seven, but this was one if his easier rides despite the fact that Ermolenko was in the race. Ermolenko got pushed out of the race after hard moves by both Andy Smith and Chris Louis while rurming second. Rickardsson joined Nielsen and Hancock on six points each after two rides with a superb effort in heat eight, while his fellow countryman Peter Karlsson gained a second successive runner-up placing, which kept him up with the leaders. Nielsen made it three straight wins in heat 10 when he got the better of Peter Karlsson with BiUy Hamill, obviously down on strength, in third place. Rickardsson joined Nielsen on the leaderboard in heat 11 with another victory, but it was a disappOinting race for Hancock, who finished last despite the fact that Riss appeared to have crossed the white line with both wheels, which is illegal. Ermolenko finished in second place. Karlsson left it until heat 13 to claim his first win of the night over Louis and Riss, and at this stage he started to make his rivals sit up and take notice. Gustafsson picked up a vital victory from the gate in heat 14 over Rickardsson, and Hamill was again in third with Andy Smith at the back. Ermolenko was excluded in a controversial heat 15 after a clash with Australia's Craig Boyce. Ermolenko claimed that Boyce's footrest got locked in his chain and there was nothing he could do, but the referee's deaision stood. . Ironically the rerun produced the best race of the night because Boyce pulled out with bike problems, leaving a straight showdown between English rivals Loram and Jqe Screen. Loram won the battle, but only after a tense contest with Screen.