Speedway Grand Prix of Croatia: 'He looks leaner and meaner' – Greg Hancock sees Tai Woffinden as title contender
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Updated 29/04/2023 at 21:42 GMT
Four-time world champion Greg Hancock believes Tai Woffinden will be a title contender this year and says he is “looking good” after his performance in Croatia. Although Woffinden didn’t reach the final, he won two heats and impressed throughout the season-opener, including a second place in qualifying. The consensus is though, it will be hard to beat Bartosz Zmarzlik, who won on Saturday.
Speedway Grand Prix of Croatia highlights: Zmarzlik triumphs at season-opener
Speedway legend Greg Hancock believes Tai Woffinden “looks leaner and meaner” after the British rider finished fifth at the opening Grand Prix in Croatia.
Woffinden made several changes over the winter, including a relocation from Poland back to the UK, and made it clear that he has been building everything in his life towards this season.
A mistake in the semi-final saw the 32-year-old miss out on a place in the final, but he had won two heats earlier on Saturday evening.
“He’s been looking good,” said Hancock on Eurosport’s coverage of the Speedway GP. “He seems so strong in the head, looks leaner and meaner – he looks really hungry.
“His starts were good and the consistency of his starts haven’t been what they were in the last couple of years. He wants to win the World Championship again."
Prior to the event, he added: “For him, the clock is ticking and he definitely needs to get himself together and that carrot has got to be big so I see him as being one of the big contenders for the title. He is showing his will and desire to set a high bar.”
Bartosz Zmarzlik was victorious in the season-opener in challenging conditions as rain caused plenty of nerves for all the riders.
Zmarzlik was excluded from his second race for jumping the start but fought back to reach and win his semi-final, before storming away in the final.
“We knew he was going to be the man to beat and he definitely laid it all out for everyone tonight,” said Hancock.
“He was phenomenal and to see what he did in the final, pulling away from them and riding the track as deep as he could.
Eurosport expert Scott Nicholls added: “The cream rises to the top and he didn’t fall under the pressure. The first round can be a leveller and good, bad and ugly, it will probably feel like a sense of relief after the first round.
“Even if you have had a shocker, all the anticipation after the first round, it’s done and you can move on.”
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