Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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IN THE WIND P44 RUSSIA WINS FIRST- EVER SPEEDWAY WORLD TITLE R ussian hero Emil Sayfutdinov set his sights on individual World Championship gold after lifting the nation's first world title at the first-ever Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final in Wroclaw, June 9-10. Sayfutdinov and partner Artem Laguta made history as they sawed off Great Britain pair Tai Woffinden and Robert Lambert in the Grand Final to win Russia's first senior world title of any kind— individual or team—on the shale. Despite GB topping the score chart over two days to finish with 46 points, Russia, who were just one short, eliminated Poland in the final qualifier to take their place alongside the Lions in the battle for gold. And despite Woffinden win- ning the race, Laguta and Say- futdinov filled the minor places needed to make history. But the former world number- three has no intention of stop- ping there and is now targeting the nation's first world individual title in the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series. Sayfutdinov said, "Now I am focused on the grand prix and making history there. I want to be world champion for sure in the grand prix and I'll do everything to be on top. We will see. "But this is a great feeling, un- believable. We did it—we made history for Russia and we have to thank our Russian fans and also our Polish fans who support us. We have Polish sponsors who help us, too. We have made his- tory and it is an amazing feeling. "It showed we needed to work harder and we did it in the final qualifier. In the Grand Final, we knew second and third would give us gold, so we planned to let Tai go and try to hold those places." Great Britain team manager Alun Rossiter admits he had mixed feelings, despite seeing his side race to their first world championship medal of any color outside of the UK since England won silver in the World Team Cup at Bydgoszcz in 1995. He said, "I'm slightly disap- pointed, but I shouldn't be really. I got criticized a couple of years ago when we got silver in our own country, but we've come to Poland and beaten them in their own back yard. That's a massive step forward. "When it all sinks in prop- erly, we shouldn't be too down on ourselves. I know the boys aren't. I'm super proud of all three of them. "It was a team event; it wasn't just about one or two riders. Everybody played their part and we have a silver medal. I should be really happy and I am." Team USA encountered a disappointing evening in the first qualifier held in Teterow, Germa- ny, the previous Saturday, failing to transfer to the race-off. Greg Hancock stormed to an impressive 16-point haul in superb style in Germany, but his team partner Gino Manzares managed just one point and with- drew from the meeting after a fall late in the program. John Hipkiss FINAL 1. Russia (45) 2. Great Britain (46) 3. Poland (36) 4. Denmark (35) 5. Australia (35) Team Russia won the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN HIPKISS