FIM World Speedway Grand Prix
Round 2: Avesta Stadium
Sullivan wins controversial Final after Hancock excluded
STORY AND PHOTOS
By
JOHN HIPKISS
AVESTA, SWEDEN, MAY 31
ustralia's Ryan Sullivan was the
winner, but the big story may
have been how Greg Hancock's bid
for Grand Prix glory in his adopted
homeland of Sweden ended in high
drama and controversy at round two
of the SGP series at Avesta Stadium.
Hancock, the 1997 World Champion now living in Stockholm after turning his back on British speedway,
reached the final for the first time this
season, only to find himself the victim
of what he felt was an outrageous
exclusion.
Polish referee Marek Wojaczek
deemed Hancock at fault for a firstlap crash that saw Leigh Adams and
Lukas Dryml hit the deck as the Californian drove under the pair going
into the third turn.
Adams had lifted and spewed wide
coming out of turn two as he swept
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JUNE 18, 2003'
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into second place, behind Sullivan,
and as Hancock tunnelled under him,
the
American's
dirt-deflector
appeared to make contact with the
Aussie's leg, forcing both riders on
the outside to come off.
"I'm extremely gutted," said Hancock, "and I just feel it was wrong.
Leigh hit a nasty hole coming out of
the first bend and moved over, almost
taking a couple of guys out. He was
fortunate to recover, but he opened
up a huge gap, and I went for it. It
was clear road, like the Grand
Canyon, and all of a sudden I feel a
tag on the bike, and it's my fault he
comes off.
"The referee said I came in there
with too much speed in coming from
the back, but I was ahead of him, and
that's what \ don't understand. I just
feel that Leigh made a mistake, and I
got penalized for it."
Upon watching the replay, Hancock said that he could not see what
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