EUROPEAN PREVIEW

Image courtesy of Steve Hone Photography

The Eskilstuna side, who are the league leaders, took two more wins as the end of the regular campaign approaches, running up a big 56-34 victory at Piraterna on Tuesday and then defeating Vastervik 53-37 on Thursday.

The win at Motala saw Bewley top-score with 12+2 from five rives, dropping his only point to Vaclav Milik in Heat 9, whilst Lambert scored eight points including two race wins.

Then on Thursday Bewley recovered from a last place in his first ride to record 13+1 from his remaining five rides, whilst Lambert scored 12+1 from six.

Elswehere in Sweden, Indianerna defeated Rospiggarna 49-41 whilst Vastervik won 47-43 at Masarna on Tuesday.

In the Under-24 Ekstraliga, Leszno and Ostrow remain level on 23 points at the top of the table although Ostrow have a match in hand.

They recorded a massive 64-26 win at home to Torun, whilst Leszno lost 47-43 at Gorzow, for whom Anders Rowe scored 8+2 from five rides.

Elsewhere, Wroclaw thrashed Grudziadz 61-29 and Lublin were 46-44 winners at bottom club Czestochowa.

This weekend sees the final regular round of Ekstraliga action with Lambert and Bewley going head-to-head in Torun v Wroclaw fixture on Sunday, whilst Tai Woffinden is also declared in the visitors’ line-up.
Wroclaw have won on their last two visits to Torun, including 54-36 last year, whilst the hosts are looking for a fifth successive home victory for the first time in six years.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Lublin are already guaranteed league leadership ahead of the play-offs as they face Gorzow, who could go second with an away win – depending on the outcome of Czestochowa’s trip to Leszno on Friday, with both sides safely in the play-offs.
Meanwhile the bottom two also meet on Friday, after which their seasons will be at an end, and a home win for Grudziadz against Ostrow would complete the campaign without a single point for the visitors – the first time that feat has been ‘achieved’ since 1989 when it was also Ostrow scoring zero!

Play-offs get underway in Division One with Lodz hosting Zielona Gora on Saturday, whilst on Sunday league leaders Bydgoszcz travel to Gdansk and Landshut host Krosno.

In Division Two, a close battle for promotion is expected and the semi-finals start on Saturday with Tom Brennan included in the Rawicz line-up for their home clash with Poznan. The first leg of the second semi-final between Daugavpils and Opole takes place next weekend.

And there is also a big night at Gustrow on Saturday in the second round of the Speedway Euro Championship, with Mikkel Michelsen and Janusz Kolodziej joint top of the standings after the opener at Rybnik.

Leon Madsen is just one point behind after winning the Final in that meeting, whilst Dan Bewley returns to the series after missing the first round due to injury, and he joins Adam Ellis in the line-up.

Piotr Pawlicki won at Gustrow last year, and despite their multiple wins and titles over recent years, neither Madsen nor Michelsen have yet triumphed at the unique German venue, with Madsen finishing as runner-up on his last three visits.