EKSTRALIGA ROUND-UP | LEBEDEVS LEADS LESZNO CHARGE

Latvian ace Andzejs Lebedevs followed up his full-time Speedway GP debut by racing to 12 paid 13 points for Leszno as they were held to a 45-45 draw at home to Zielona Gora in the PGE Ekstraliga on Sunday.

Lebedevs registered three victories for the Bulls and former world No.2 Jaroslaw Hampel was the only visiting rider to get the better of him as the Polish star blazed to a sensational 14 points on his old home track.

The Latvian was supported by a 10 paid 11-point tally from Leszno teammate Janusz Kolodziej, while Grzegorz Zengota notched nine and 2023 SGP2 silver medallist Damian Ratajczak added eight paid nine. Hampel was backed up by the Leszno-born Pawlicki brothers for Falubaz, with Przemyslaw scoring nine paid 10 and Piotr adding eight paid nine. Speedway GP rider Jan Kvech registered one paid two.

In Sunday’s other match, Danish racer Leon Madsen picked up 14 points from six rides for Czestochowa, but it was not enough to save them from a 48-42 loss away to Gorzow.

Former SGP star Anders Thomsen topped the home side’s score chart on 12 paid 13, with Slovak star Martin Vaculik registering nine paid 11 and Speedway GP newcomer Szymon Wozniak picking up eight paid nine. Lions star Madsen was supported by 10 paid 11 from European champion Mikkel Michelsen.

In Friday’s matches, Wroclaw top guns Dan Bewley, Artem Laguta and Maciej Janowski bagged 12 paid 13 points apiece as Sparta stormed to a convincing 53-37 win over Grudziadz.

Last year’s SGP2 bronze medallist Bartlomiej Kowalski weighed in with a useful eight paid 11, with Tai Woffinden adding six.

Former World Under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey was Grudziadz’s top performer on 12, with Max Fricke scoring five paid seven and Jason Doyle registering four – just 24 hours before racing to a dramatically-improved second place at the Boll FIM Speedway GP of Croatia.

In Friday’s other meeting, Speedway GP trio Jack Holder, Fredrik Lindgren and Bartosz Zmarzlik all contributed 10 points to Lublin’s tally as the champions eased to a 53-37 win at home to Torun.

Speedway GP newcomer Dominik Kubera collected eight paid 11, with Warsaw wild card Mateusz Cierniak accruing six paid seven.

Former world No.3 Emil Sayfutdinov scored a sublime 16 for Torun, with Great Britain racer Robert Lambert notching nine paid 11 and Patryk Dudek recording nine paid 10.

Meanwhile, in the Metalkas 2. Ekstraliga on Sunday, the second tier’s sole Speedway GP rider Kai Huckenbeck followed up his first-ever SGP semi-final appearance by scoring 12 paid 13 points for Bydgoszcz as they won 57-33 at home to Lodz.

The next PGE Ekstraliga action sees Czestochowa host Wroclaw in a rearranged clash on Tuesday.

For full details of the PGE Ekstraliga results and scorers, click HERE (link in Polish).