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power
from
the back as Piotr P.otasiewicz
slid off on a tiSht second tum.
Adams, who
ended
a three-year
sequence
of finishing as number-four-
ranked rider in the world when
he bagged
third-place overall in
2005, had already
done enough to secure his
place
in the
semis before his third
behind Zagar and
Rickardsson in heat
20, He then claimed
the unluckiest-rider-of-the-night
tag
when he was
cruising into the final, only
for his bike to
quit
on the last lap of the
second semi.
American star
Greg Hancock opened
the
proceedings
with a stylish
pillar-to-
post
win in heat one and appeared
to be
mentally and mechanically
dialed in.
But
he then tailed
off inexplicably with a cou-
ple
of disappointing last
places.
The 35-year-old Hancock
-
iust
like
Rickardsson, an ever-present GP fixture -
is adamant that he
still has another World
title in him.
''l
still
wake
up every morning rhinking
lcan be World
Champion again, and I
suppose the day I
don't, then I may have
to
reevaluate
my life and career,"
Hancock said.
But he lost more
points
in heat 14 as
Rickardsson
reeled in
the
field,
and his
lack
of speed
resulted
in another third in
his final outinS ro leave him with
iust
five
points.
It
was his worst GP return since 2002,
and leaves him with
some serious con-
templation ahead
of round two at
Like Hancock, former
GP-winner Bjarne
Pedersen and
Jaroslaw
Hampel both had
below-par nights, while new recruits
ProEsiewicz
and
lversen,
and Slovenia
wild-card
Matel Ferian, looked
out of their
depth in this son of company.
Cltl
MarJE Guaca Sr DruM
Knsro,
s[ovlrra
REru[s: APIll. 23. 2006
back to
pick
off all three
rivals
jn
sublime
'8et
out of my way, I'm coming
through"
fashion in heat
14.
The 3S-year-old
defending champion,
who
won six
of
last year's
nine GPs,
dropped a couple of
points, yet,
still fin-
ished as
the top
gualifier
with 13,
and that
gave
him first
choice of
gate positions
in
both the flrst semi-final and the final.
Though he
was unable to add
to
his long
list ofGP successes.
he still looks the rider
that the best of the rest will have to
beat
in the weeks
and months ahead.
Crump
(12),
Pedersen and Gollob
(ll
each) and Adams
(10)
were
all close
behind
Rickardsson,
while nine
points
got
Nicholls, Lindback and new GP recruit
Hatej Za8ar
a
place
in the last eighr,
and
the opportunity
to more than double
their totals for the night.
British number-one Nicholls has made
a habit of reaching
the semis and then
missing
out on the final,
and
he
did
it
for
the
fifth
time in his last seven GPs. He had
the outside
gate
in the second semi,
and
seemed resigned to his fate
even before
the race had started.
Fellow Brit Lea Richardson got
squeezed out on
eight
points
when the
rocket-propelled
Zagar sprung from the
traps to, surprisinSly, keep
both
Rickardsson
and Adams
behind
him
in heat
20. Richardson had started with a bob
when he was relegated from first
to last in
heat
three, but he recovered
to win heats
six and 12, the latter race seeing him
OVERALLj L Tony Rickardsron
(13)i
2.l6on C.ump
(12);
l. Tomrr Gollob
(l
l):a.
Ni.kiPede6en (l
l);5. Leigh
Adamt
(10):
6. Scott Nicholk
(9):
7. Antonio Lindbacl
(9)i
8.
l'1atej
Zard
(t)i
9. Le sj.hard$n
(8)i
10. Andre4
lonson
(8)r
I l.
Greg
Han.o.k
{S);
12. Biarne P.deEn
(5)i
ll.laroslaw Hampel
(4)i
14. t1a@j Ferian
(3)i
15. Nielr-
Kn*iM lvEEen
(2)r
15.
Piotr Proraiiewie
(l).
SEHI l: Ni.kl PedeMn; ?.Iorry Rick-dssoni 3. lelatei
Zagar: +. Anrdio
Lindb6.k,
SEHI 2:
l. Todaz
Golrob:
2
l&on
Crump. I kou
Nicholls: 4. Leigh rdam!.
rlNA: l- Nicki PedeBn
(25)i
2.
Jaon
crump
(20):
3.
Tomasz
Gollob
(18)i4.
To.y Ricklrd$on
(16).
UPCOMING ROUNDS
Round 2
'Wroclqw,
Polond, Mq
6
Round 3
-
Eskihiuno,
Sweden, Moy 20
CYCLE NEWS
.
MAY
3, 2006
47
ar
te
E
(tefr
ro righr)
Joson
Crump,
Nicki
Pedersen ond Tomosz
Gollob