Speedway World Cup
Speedway World Cup: Australian reaction part 2: Crump, Adams and Sullivan.
By Admin
Jul 22, 2007, 11:42

Speedway World Cup reactions from Jason Crump, Leigh Adams and Ryan Sullivan.

Crump proud and eyes bright times ahead

Current Individual World Speedway Champion, Jason Crump, has backed up his Australian team-mates after they rode to third place in the 2007 FIM Speedway World Cup in Poland.

Crump revealed the extend of his engine failure which cost Australia during it’s Joker ride at the final, saying that things were not to be and he was proud of the riders in the team who gave it their all.

“I think something broke in the engine – I think a piston or maybe a valve broke or something,” he said.

“It’s disappointing, but when things like that happen early in the piece, you know it’s not your night.

“I’m proud of everybody.  Everybody gave 100 percent, but sometimes you just get beaten by better riders.”

Crump also revealed just how much it means to him to be able to ride for his country, and said that the Australian Team is currently going through a rebuilding phase which promises exciting times ahead.

“It’s a real privilege to race for Australia in a team, especially over the past six or eight years. 

“It’s been an exceptionally good team, and right now we are blooding a couple of young fellas for the future, and it’s exciting to be part of that. 

“The results over the last few years haven’t exactly been great, but hopefully it will come back to us.”

Adams lost for words, ready for Championship assault

Australian captain Leigh Adams has put Australia’s third placing at the 2007 FIM Speedway World Cup final down to being ‘just one of those nights’.

Indeed, things didn’t fall the Aussies way, and Adams was quick to point out that sometimes, that’s just the way that it goes.

Adams’ form typified the evening for the team, managing only five points at what is effectively his home track, having ridden for Leszno in Poland for the past 12 years.

“Right from the off it just wasn’t our night,” Adams admitted.

“You know your night is up when you pull a Joker and he (Jason Crump) blows up and touches the tape at the same time.

“I think our heads dropped after that definitely and I think we knew it was kind of over then, but it was a weird night because I’ve never really struggled so much here in my life and sometimes that’s just what happens.”

Adams admitted that on the night the Australians did not ride to their full potential, and said that his drop in form was just as mysterious as the team’s itself.

“I was really struggling and I don’t know why – I was riding the same bike as Thursday and I thought we’d be okay. 

“It was weird – I got caught out there once when it was wet and obviously had a bad evening.

“We just weren’t good enough, it was simple as that.”

Adams will now have some time off to regather himself, before making an all out assault on the Individual Speedway World Championship title – a Championship in which he currently sits second.

“Next week is going to be full steam ahead as we look to get organised for it.

“It has been a pretty gruelling week and now I’ll head home to see the family, regroup, and hopefully come back bigger and better for the World Championship.”

Sullivan speaks of frustration

Australian Speedway World Cup rider Ryan Sullivan admitted being disappointed with the way the Australian Team rode at the final on Saturday night, but paid tribute to the Polish Team.

Speaking after the presentation ceremony, Sullivan said that they were up against a super fast team on the track, and there was not much they could do about it in the end.

“We started off well and we had tough gates, but they were extremely fast,” he said.

“I was trying everything and trying to get it right in the end, but they rode really well and had so much speed…they did something magic overnight and it worked.”

With only four points from his first four races, Sullivan finished well by winning his final race, and despite the happy ending admitted that the night overall was very frustrating.

“I like this place and was good here on Thursday when everything was going really well, but it just wasn’t happening tonight. 

“It was nice to get the win in the end, but it was just a frustrating night really.”

The home crowd were beside themselves having witnessed a Polish victory, and Sullivan was glad that the tussle between the Poles and Danes ended the way it did.

“I don’t think we would have got out of here alive if Poland hadn’t won in the end.”