Sinders makes sure Woffinden gets to the ball

The three-times British World Champion jetted into Poland for their Ekstraliga which has been given the go-ahead to start on June 12 behind closed doors. But Derbyshire-based Woffy, 29, had to re-arrange his travel to eastern Europe after French authorities told him he’d be sent back if he tried to drive. He said: “Because of the Coronavirus I didn’t want to go on a passenger plane and increase the risk of getting something. The second plan was to drive, I contacted the French Government and the reply was basically saying that we don’t have a good enough reason to drive through France and when we get to the border, we’d be sent back. That’s what we were told by the French Immigration Liaison Officer. I then got on the phone to Ian Sinderson at ATPI Travel in Manchester, who is an expert at this sort of stuff. He made things happen. We got a private jet out of East Midlands airport and straight into Wroclaw in Poland. I am now spending 14 days in quarantine which has been ordered by the Polish authorities, as all Speedway riders have to. Then on June 14 I race for my team Wroclaw behind closed doors. It’s been a hectic few days and weeks sorting all this but it had to be done to save my racing season.”

Woffinden will have to leave wife Faye, new baby daughter Calle who was born on December 1 and eldest little girl Rylee-Cru for five months to race in Poland. The Scunthorpe-born star’s hopes of adding a fourth world title have also been decimated with all scheduled Grand Prix rounds postponed. It is almost certain the British Grand Prix, set for July 18 at the Principality Stadium, will also have to be postponed. Woffinden admits it’s been a crazy few months with the birth of his second daughter, the floods and then Covid-19. “We had the flood earlier in the year which was a nightmare but we’ve sorted that out now. It’s been wicked not having to start in March and spend more time at home with the girls. We don’t know where we are at day to day, week to week. It’s just a case of sitting back and letting it all unfold and we’ll need to rock n roll when we get the shout. Obviously I want to ride and I’m prepared for that. The last five months has gone into it and I want to get out there and get going now. I haven’t figured it out yet. I haven’t thought about it. I don’t know how I’ll feel when I’m back on the bike. I’m sure I will be hungrier. I just prepare anyway. It doesn’t matter when the season starts because the preparation is on-going.”