EKSTRALIGA: Veterans night as Falubaz win at home

#ZIEGRU

Zielona Góra made up for a disappointing opening match with a convincing home win on Friday night against Grudziadz. 

Grudziadz mixed results

For the visitors, veteran Nicki Pedersen showed no signs of letting up in form with age. He scored a commanding 16 points from a possible 18 against his former club. He was joined in scoring double figures by the teammate Przemyslaw Pawlicki (10), who is 14 year’s younger than the Danish legend. 

The team is relying on mature riders to collect points so the despite these positives, the team will need better performances from its two 36 year olds, Krzysztof Kasprzak (4) and Danish Kenneth Bjerre (3+1), if they are to get to the playoffs this year.

Falubaz – a team performance 

It was a night for veterans as 46 years old Piotr Protasiewicz scored 12 for the winners. 

However, he was closely followed by 28 year old Patryk Dudek with 11+1. The younger Pole seems back to his best after a few seasons where he has missed his “sparkle”. Perhaps the freedom of not racing in the SGP has given him space to focus on club riding where he has collected 2.273 making him the second highest scoring rider who has played two matches so far. 

However, it was not these two but Falubaz’s Matej Zagar who the only person to beat Pedersen on the night. The Slovenian was more like his usual self scoring 7+2 with after a lackluster start at Toruń last week. 

In fact, riders 1-5 for the home team were all in good form including Australian Max Fricke who again scored well (9+1) so that he too features high up in the rider table at this early stage. 

#WROTOR

EKSTRALIGA: Hancock praises Bewley as Wroclaw win 

At Wroclaw it was the home team’s first match of the season whilst visitors Toruń were coming in after an impressive win in their opener against Zielona Góra.

The match had no less that 5 English speakers – 3 Brits (Woffinden, Lambert, Bewley) and the Holder brothers – as well as SGP riders Maciej Janowski and Artem Laguta on display and even American legends, Greg Hancock was seen prowling around the depot.

Wroclaw take charge 

But for all the pre-match hype, the hosts took control of the match from the 5:1 victory in the reserve heat and never slipped up leading to a 51:39 win. 

Woffinden (12+1), Janowski (11+1) and Laguta (10+1) lead the way showing why they are in the top echelons of SGP riders. 

But the encouragement for the home fans (and British viewers) was that their fourth best rider was none other than Daniel Bewley (8+1). He had no less that two heat wins, the first against former World Champion, Chris Holder as well as current European champion and compatriot, Robert Lambert. 

A far cry from last year’s disastrous season, when the young Brit broke his arm in a BMX accident and where he finished 47th with an average of just 1.240. He even got a pep talk from Greg Hancock in the depot who patted him on the back and declared, “you’re better than me, bro!” as the Brit walked back to the depot after his Heat 11 victory. 

Toruń lacked a full team performance 

Toruń can be grateful for Pawel Przedpelski who is currently riding the best races of his career with an average of 2.100 after the first two matches. He scored 8+1 behind English speakers, Jack Holder (10+1) and Robert Lambert (11+1). 

The difference tonight for the visitors compared to last week, however, is not in their top tier pros but in the secondary riders. The team’s bottom three riders scored 11+5 last Sunday but tonight just 2+1. If this pattern continues, Adrian Miedzinski’s form could be the make or break difference for Ekstraliga’s new arrivals.