Aussies make brilliant world speedway start

Australians Jason Doyle and Chris Holder have finished second and third at the opening round of the 2016 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series in Slovenia, with the final won by Dane Peter Kildemand. Reigning world champion Tai Woffinden was fourth.

It was a superb return to world championship action for Doyle, who was injured in the final round of last year's title at Etihad Stadium, while Holder was back to the form which saw him clinch the 2012 world championship.

Doyle said: “In my first two heats, I didn’t think I was even going to make the semis. I was struggling. I just tried to get some points. I thought I was going to go back to the van and have a good cry! But that’s speedway. One minute you’re down; the next minute you’re in the final.

“Speedway switches like that. You get on another bike and think you can beat the world. We just started building the points up, made the semi and I got second. I’m happy.”

Holder said: “I’m really happy to get a lot of points. You’d rather be on top than behind and chasing the boys. To leave here with some good points and in the top five feels good. I’m looking forward to the next one already and hopefully I can build on that.

“To walk away on the podium and with a few points in the bag, I’m pretty relieved and that gives me more motivation to keep going.

Round two is in Poland on May 14, and the final round will again be held at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne on Saturday, October 22.

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FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 1 Peter Kildemand 15, 2 Chris Holder 14, 3 Jason Doyle 13, 4 Tai Woffinden 10, 5 Greg Hancock 10, 6 Nicki Pedersen 10, 7 Maciej Janowski 10, 8 Antonio Lindback 10, 9 Niels-Kristian Iversen 8, 10 Bartosz Zmarzlik 8, 11 Piotr Pawlicki 8, 12 Fredrik Lindgren 7, 13 Andreas Jonsson 6, 14 Matej Zagar 4, 15 Chris Harris 3, 16 Denis Stojs 1, 17 Nick Skorja 1.

KRSKO SCORES: 1 Peter Kildemand 15, 2 Jason Doyle 13, 3 Chris Holder 14, 4 Tai Woffinden 10, 5 Maciej Janowski 10, 6 Antonio Lindback 10, 7 Greg Hancock 10, 8 Nicki Pedersen 10, 9 Bartosz Zmarzlik 8, 10 Niels-Kristian Iversen 8, 11 Piotr Pawlicki 8, 12 Fredrik Lindgren 7, 13 Andreas Jonsson 6, 14 Matej Zagar 4, 15 Chris Harris 3, 16 Denis Stojs 1, 17 Nick Skorja 1, 18 Matic Ivacic 0.