Crump Out To Keep Title

The Speedway Grand Prix season starts again tonight with reigning champion Jason Crump looking to keep the title he won so convincingly last year. The 31-year-old Australian born in Northampton moved to Elite League Poole over the winter and is seen as the man to beat in this years competition. He’s finished on the podium in both his previous appearances at the 334 metre Lonigo track where tonight’s Italian Grand Prix will kick off another season of intense action. Again veteran American Greg Hancock and former Champion Nicki Pederson will be seen as Crump’s closest challengers. Many feel that Sweden’s Andreas Jonsson will have a part to play having assumed the title of Swedish number one after the retirement of Tony Rickardsson. British hopes rest with the Coventry duo of Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris. Nicholls has had plenty of GP experience over the last couple of years while Harris a gritty determined Cornishman with a never say die attitude is making his debut at this level. Poland are again represented by Tomasz Gollob and the highly talented Jaroslaw Hampel the pair being joined by the lightning starting Wieslaw Jagus. Denmark’s Hans Andersen who is begining his first full Grand Prix season is another to watch along with his countryman Bjarne Pedersen whose made a fine start to his season in the Elite League.

Tonight’s riders: Hans Andersen (Den): Jaroslaw Hampel (Pol): Tomasz Gollob (Pol): Rune Holta (Nor): Bjarne Pedersen (Den): Jason Crump (Aus): Matej Zagar (Slo): Andreas Jonsson (Swe): Mattia Carpenese (Ita): Greg Hancock (USA): Chris Harris (GB): Antonio Lindback (Swe): Nicki Pedersen (Den): Leigh Adams (Aus): Scott Nicholls (GB): Wieslaw Jagus (Pol)