weden's Tony Rickardsson has World title number six fixed firmly in his sights.
The five-time World Champion opened up an
I I-point cushion on reigning World Champion
Jason Crump when he landed his second Grand
Prix win in three rounds this season at Krsko in Slovenia.
Rickardsson, 34, avenged a defeat by Crump in the
second semifinal to motor away off the inside grid and
stretch his points tally for the campaign to an impressive
70. Crump found himself left at the back, behind Nicki
Pedersen and Siovenian wildcard Matej Zagar. and Crump
must now be worried that Rickardsson is going to run
away with this year's title before the final GP at Lonigo in
Italy on September 10.
Rickardsson won the first GP at Wroclaw, Poland, and
was leading the final in the second in Eskilstuna, Sweden.
before the race was stopped, and Crump landed the win
in the rerun. Rickardsson had suffered a bad concussion in
a crash in Poland 10 days before the meeting, but it
appears nothing can throw him off the scent of equaling
Ivan Mauger's record of six World crowns.
"Things have been going very well in the Grand Prix
this year," Rickardsson said. "I have a great team working
with me, and it is so good when you win for them."
Rickardsson said that he hasn't done anything outside
of his ordinary preparation for the 2005 title chase.
"I have the same bikes and engines as last year, but I am
loving every minute of my riding at the moment, and I am
S
38 JUNE 8, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS
