Swedish star Andreas Jonsson has withdrawn from the Italian FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Terenzano on Saturday after failing to recover from the broken shoulder blade he suffered in Copenhagen. AJ has been sidelined since the Moldow Danish SGP on June 29 after he went flying from his machine when he was unable to avoid fallen World Championship leader Emil Sayfutdinov in heat three.
The Stockholm-born rider failed to complete a lap when he took a practice run at Swedish track Hallstavik last week. He was hopeful he could handle the bike well enough to return on Saturday, but a test run today proved he wasn’t ready for a comeback and his place will be taken by SGP second reserve Leon Madsen.
First reserve Ales Dryml also lines up in the meeting as he replaces injured world champion Chris Holder for the rest of the 2013 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series. Holder suffered a fractured and dislocated right hip, broken pelvis, shattered right heel and a broken left shoulder in a crash whilst riding for his British Elite League club, Poole, at Coventry on July 5.
His injuries have ended the 25-year-old’s season, forced him to undergo three operations and left the Sydneysider temporarily recovering in a wheelchair for two to three months until he is fit enough to use crutches.
Dryml qualified as first reserve for this season’s SGP series by finishing fourth in the GP Challenge at Croatian track Gorican on September 29, 2012, while Madsen was fifth.
The Czech Republic national team captain covered for Holder’s fellow countryman Darcy Ward in Prague, Cardiff and Gorzow while the Queenslander was overcoming a broken shoulder blade earlier this year.
The Pardubice-born rider returns wearing the No.19 race jacket, while Madsen dons No.20.
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Injured AJ out of Italian SGP
