European Speedway Championships, Grünberg: Leon Madsen wins the opener, Kai Huckenbeck puts in a strong performance

Leon Madsen celebrated his victory at his home track in the Polish league in Grünberg (Zielona Góra) at great length, meaning that Mikkel Michelsen and Patryk Dudek had to wait patiently for the veteran to turn up for the podium ceremony. To reach the final, the 37-year-old had to qualify via the Last Chance Heat after finishing the heats with eleven points. Defending champion Patryk Dudek and Michael Jepsen Jensen had both secured direct entry to the final – in which riders can add to their points from the heats, which then count towards the overall standings – with 13 points each.

Kai Huckenbeck got off to a bad start

Kai Huckenbeck, the only German in the European Championship field, also ended up in the last-chance heat. The rider from Werlte had finished second in his first heat, ahead of the eventual winner Leon Madsen. With a total of twelve points, Huckenbeck was third overall after the heats, which earned him first choice of starting position for the Last-Chance Heat. Kai opted for the blue lane, but after the start he was sandwiched between the Danes Leon Madsen and Mikkel Michelsen in the first corner and emerged in fourth place. Whilst Madsen and Michelsen pulled away at the front, Huckenbeck struggled to make his way up the field, but was unable to do so.

In the final – which featured Dudek, Madsen, Michelsen and Jepsen Jensen (one Pole and three Danes) – the eventual winner, Leon Madsen, also started from the blue position. Once the tape flew up, Madsen found himself facing two rivals – Dudek and Michelsen – as he emerged from the first corner, but the veteran found the momentum he needed to overtake Dudek first and, by the end of the second lap, Michelsen as well. “It’s a tough competition; we had to work hard to win,” said the Grünberg winner. “There are still three races to go. After finishing third last year, it’s time to go for the title again.”

Leon Madsen feierte seinen Sieg mit mehreren Wheelies

Foto: jarek pabijan

After the points have been tallied, Madsen and Dudek lead the standings on 14 points. Michael Jepsen Jensen on 13 and Kai Huckenbeck on 12 points are close behind ahead of the next European Championship race on 5 September in Güstrow.

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Results: European Speedway Championship, Grünberg/PL:

Kai Huckenbeck fuhr stark: Hier vor Kacper Woryna und Leon Madsen

Foto: jarek pabijan