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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/177528
ROUND 11/SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 FRIENDS ARENA/STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN SPEEDWAY P68 SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX SERIES Californian Greg Hancock finished fourth in Sweden. past few seasons. He admits that small changes have led to a big transformation in his fortunes. "If you look where I was three years ago, it's like night and day," he said. "Everything has changed since then. I'm completely different as a rider and I make different preparations. I know what I've done to be here and that's a good feeling. I know it hasn't just happened for nothing – I know I've worked hard for it and I know what I have to do to stay here. I think that's more important than actually being here. It's many different small things. There was a big transformation last year from 2011 to 2012. I've established myself as a great rider in the leagues. It's about my training, it's food, my diet, the way I work with my engine tuner – all these small things have tipped in together to create a big thing. "There is a fine line between winning and losing in speedway and you need to focus on the small things. Everything is in the small details and Woffinden is a completely different rider from what he was last year. He has been working on small things as well and it works." Woffinden raced heroically through the pain barrier to bag seven points and fall just a point short of the semi-finals. He only needs six points in Torun to secure the World Championship with Hampel 16 points adrift of him in the second spot. First he faces a race to be fit for the Marian Rose Motoarena showdown in two weeks. But he pledged to do everything possible to become Britain's first World Champ for 13 years. "I'm 99.9 percent sure it's broken," Woffinden said on Saturday night. "The pain is ridiculous. But it's all right. I've got a two-week break now and I'm going to have an operation on Sunday night in Derby. Cheers to Jamie Dobbs for sorting that out for me. It is what it is. It has been a long old season and you've heard a lot of national anthems. But the last national anthem you hear is the one that counts. In a fortnight's [two weeks] time, you're going to hear mine." Hampel is ready to keep Woffinden under pressure in Torun and was delighted to leave the Friends Arena with a bronze medal and 13 points after an up and down evening. "I'll try to keep going in the last round," Hampel said. "This is all I can say. Third place is really good tonight because I didn't start so well from the beginning. I didn't feel comfortable on the track and I had some trouble with my bike. But I finished third and I can be happy now." CN Grand Prix 1. Niels-Kristian Iversen 2. Matej Zagar 3. Jaroslaw Hampel 4. Greg Hancock 5. Darcy Ward 6. Krzysztof Kasprzak 7. Andreas Jonsson 8. Leon Madsen 9. Fredrik Lindgren 10.Tai Woffinden