Batch banking on Race Off boost

Australian skipper Troy Batchelor hopes his side’s epic Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup Race Off triumph in Prague on Thursday will give them the edge in Saturday’s Final.

The Roos join the Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark in the last four after a dramatic victory in one of the most closely contested Race Offs ever witnessed.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix star Darcy Ward won a last-heat decider to hand Australia victory on 36 points.

The USA may have been tipped to exit the Monster Energy SWC as early as Event 2 on Monday, but they produced an heroic performance to finish second in the Race Off on 31 and still could have qualified for the Final going into heat 20.

Latvia capped their greatest ever Monster Energy SWC by finishing third on 29, while Team Great Britain were fourth on 28.

All four nations could have won the meeting going into the penultimate heat, but the Aussies got the verdict and Batchelor hopes his team will put their Marketa Stadium experience to the best possible use on Saturday.

He said: “We always seem to go through the Race Off. It’s the hard road, but we’ve had a meeting on the track, whereas everyone else has just been watching.

“I think that will help us a lot on Saturday and I think we’re going to be battling for a silver or bronze medal.

“This meeting is crucial. When we did it in Gorzow two years ago, we nearly won the gold medal. We came through the Race Off, won that and we knew what to do. Setup in speedway is 90 percent of the race. I think we learnt a lot about the track and I hope we can use it to our advantage.”

The Poles and Danes are red-hot favourites to claim the Ove Fundin Trophy in the Czech capital.

But Batchelor admits the USA’s unlikely charge to fifth place in the tournament has inspired him and Australian team mates Darcy Ward, Jason Doyle and Cameron Woodward to upset the odds.

He added: “It’s tough, but anything can happen. No-one was thinking about America and, all of a sudden, they were close to winning the Race Off. We’re going to have a little bit of practice on Friday afternoon and try a few more things.

“I’m pumped for this win. I’m proud of everyone. We did an awesome job, and without Chris Holder – the world champ. Being without him hurts us a lot. But we’re in the Final and I think we can grab a medal. That would be an amazing result with the riders we’ve got.”

USA legend Greg Hancock, who scored a whopping 20 points from a possible 21 for his country, was proud of the heart showed by the American quartet as they stormed to second place in the Race Off.

“This was massive,” he said. “Once we got here, we knew we had achieved our goal – the Race Off was where we wanted to be.

“But we got there and then suddenly it just dawned on me and it clicked. I thought ‘do you know what? This is wide open.’ The strength and experience of the teams made me think we had as good a chance to qualify from this thing as anybody.

“All I said to the guys was ‘how close have you ever been to a world title? You’re as close as it gets right now. Let’s roll with this thing.’

“We did and they made such a massive improvement from King’s Lynn. Suddenly it all clicked. They went out and rode with their hearts. It was a whole other game then.”

Team GB boss Neil Middleditch was disappointed with the lack of scoring support for Lions heroes Tai Woffinden and Chris Harris, who bagged 14 and seven points respectively. Both riders shone in Prague and impressed in Event 2 at King’s Lynn on Monday.

But Middleditch admits Race Off riders Lewis Bridger (4) and Ben Barker (3) and King’s Lynn picks Craig Cook (4) and Edward Kennett (1) did not deliver.

He said: “I’m hugely disappointed to finish fourth. Tai and Bomber just didn’t have the back-up once again. We’ve tried four riders alongside those two over the World Cup and we just haven’t got that strength in depth unfortunately.

“We should have done better. They all tried their hearts out. You can’t ask anymore than that. But it’s disappointing.”

The draw for the Monster Energy SWC Final has been made and Australia don red helmet colours. Poland – winners of Event 1 at Czestochowa last Sunday – race in blue. The Czech Republic ride in white and Event 2 victors Denmark are in yellow. Teams for Saturday’s meeting will be announced on Friday night.

MONSTER ENERGY FIM SWC RACE OFF SCORES:

AUSTRALIA 36: 1 Jason Doyle 8, 2 Troy Batchelor 7, 3 Cameron Woodward 8, 4 Darcy Ward 13.

USA 31: 1 Ricky Wells 3, 2 Gino Manzares 0, 3 Ryan Fisher 8, 4 Greg Hancock 20.

LATVIA 29: 1 Kasts Puodzuks 10, 2 Maksims Bogdanovs 9, 3 Vjaceslavs Giruckis 5, 4 Andzejs Lebedevs 5.

GREAT BRITAIN 28: 1 Tai Woffinden 14, 2 Lewis Bridger 4, 3 Chris Harris 7, 4 Ben Barker 3.