SEC QUALIFIERS | POLISH SENSATION CIERNIAK HITS KRSKO MAX TO REACH SEC CHALLENGE

Double SGP2 champion Mateusz Cierniak took a step closer to Speedway European Championship qualification after booking his spot in the SEC Challenge with a 15-point maximum at Slovenian track Krsko on Saturday.

The Lublin shooting star produced a flawless performance in his qualifying round to secure a spot in the SEC Challenge at Latvian club Daugavpils on May 12 – the day after he makes his World Championship debut as Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw wild card at the iconic PGE Narodowy next Saturday.

He topped the score chart ahead of compatriot and 2017 FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Daugavpils winner Piotr Pawlicki, who scored 14 – beaten only by Cierniak. 

Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague wild card Vaclav Milik also booked his place in the SEC Challenge by finishing third on 12.

The final qualification place went to Denmark’s Andreas Lyager, who won a run-off with Slovenian local hero, 2023 SGP2 rider Anze Grmek, after the pair tied on 11. But Grmek will hope to build on this promising form as he bids to secure an SGP2 return next month.

Trans MF FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Landshut wild card Norick Blodorn fell short of qualification on 10, with Italian international Paco Castagna and Latvian star Francis Gusts missing out on nine.

In the day’s other qualifier at German track Stralsund, Polish star Maciej Janowski took a stride towards the SEC with victory on the day, beating compatriot Przemyslaw Pawlicki and former Danish champion Rasmus Jensen in a run-off for first place after they all tied on 14.

French international Dimitri Berge snatched the final qualification place on 11 points, with 2023 Speedway GP rider Kim Nilsson missing the top-four cut on 10 and his fellow countryman Oliver Berntzon exiting on nine.

British racer Steve Worrall, Denmark’s Benjamin Basso and Latvia’s Daniils Kolodinskis all missed out on eight points.

The top five riders at the SEC Challenge book their places in the four-round SEC series, which visits Debrecen on June 8, Polish club Grudziadz on July 20 and German circuit Gustrow on August 24, before concluding at Chorzow’s legendary Stadion Slaski in Poland on September 21.

Reigning European champion Mikkel Michelsen and Speedway GP rivals Leon Madsen and Andzejs Lebedevs have already qualified for the SEC series after finishing in the continental championship’s 2023 top five, along with Poland’s Janusz Kolodziej and Patryk Dudek. The line-up will be completed by five permanent wild cards.

This year’s Speedway European Championship winner is guaranteed a place in the 2025 Speedway GP World Championship.

SEC CHALLENGE LINE-UP (in no particular order): Anders Thomsen (Denmark), Jacob Thorssell (Sweden), Kacper Woryna (Poland), Jevgenijs Kostigovs (Latvia), Timo Lahti (Sweden), Frederik Jakobsen (Denmark), Erik Riss (Germany), Bartlomiej Kowalski (Poland), Mateusz Cierniak (Poland), Piotr Pawlicki (Poland), Vaclav Milik (Czech Republic), Andreas Lyager (Denmark), Maciej Janowski (Poland), Przemyslaw Pawlicki (Poland), Rasmus Jensen (Denmark), Dimitri Berge (France).

KRSKO SCORES: 1. Mateusz Cierniak 15, 2. Piotr Pawlicki 14, 3. Vaclav Milik 12, 4. Andreas Lyager 11+3, 5. Anze Grmek 11+2, 6. Norick Blodorn 10, 7. Paco Castagna 9, 8. Francis Gusts 9, 9. Matic Ivacic 6, 10. Henry van der Steen 6, 11. Truls Kamhaug 4, 12. Denis Stojs 3, 13. Steven Goret 3, 14. David Bellego 3, 15. Andrea Battaglia 2, 16. Andrei Popa 1.

STRALSUND SCORES: 1. Maciej Janowski 14+3, 2. Przemyslaw Pawlicki 14+2, 3. Rasmus Jensen 14+1, 4. Dimitri Berge 11, 5. Kim Nilsson 10, 6. Oliver Berntzon 9, 7. Steve Worrall 8, 8. Benjamin Basso 8, 9. Daniils Kolodinskis 8, 10. Kevin Wolbert 7, 11. Eduard Krcmar 6, 12. Olegs Mihailovs 4, 13. Valentin Grobauer 3, 14. Matous Kamenik 2, 15. Niccolo Percotti 1, 16. Celina Liebmann 1, 17. Glenn Moi 0, 18. Patrick Hyjek DNR.