2023 FIM Speedway of Nations Under-21 World Championship
Polish hero Mateusz Cierniak admits patience paid dividends after leading his country to a record-breaking 16th FIM Speedway of Nations Under-21 World Championship in Latvian capital Riga on Friday night.
The Poles won the DeWalt FIM SON2 event to lift sport’s junior team championship for the 10th straight season, with Cierniak leading partner Wiktor Przyjemski to a 7-2 victory over Danish duo Esben Hjerrild and Jesper Knudsen in the Grand Final.
This was after Poland topped the score chart over 21 heats on a commanding 39 points. Denmark joined them in the title-decider after beating hosts Latvia 5-4 in the Grand Final Qualifier.
Despite Latvian racer Ricards Ansviesulis winning the race, Hjerrild and Danish team-mate Emil Breum fended off Riga favourite Francis Gusts for four laps to break the home side’s hearts. But Latvia still made history, winning bronze – their first-ever medal in an FIM Speedway team championship.
But the night belonged to Poland and Cierniak, who led their scoring on 22 points from a possible 24, before winning the Grand Final.
Along with teammates Przyjemski and Bartlomiej Kowalski, Cierniak had to fight furiously for his points on a number of occasions and admitted patience was the key as he captained his country to an historic gold, adding to the senior side’s Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup win in Wroclaw on July 29.
Mateusz Cierniak
“We did a lot of good work. I had speed. I had a very fast bike, but I had to be patient and keep calm during the races. When I had to pass the riders, I had to think a lot because this is a very tight track, and you cannot make any mistakes. This track makes you think a lot and be patient to be faster during the race. Of course, it was a very good finish for us. For me and Bartek, this is our last season of our junior career. It’s great for us to win today and now we take the next step. Next year, it’s for Wiktor to do this again.”
Polish team manager Rafal Dobrucki hailed his golden trio after they held their nerve to extend their nation’s glorious run in a competition where the winner takes all in the pressure cooker of a Grand Final. He said: “I want to congratulate the guys on their gold medals. We feel the weight of the medal. It gets heavier and heavier and heavier every time, but we won again.
“This competition is so difficult. The Grand Final is a Grand Final. Anything can happen in a final – a broken chain or a puncture or something. Sometimes you can make it, but you can lose everything.”
Poles lead the way in Riga – Image Jarek Pabijan
Danish star Hjerrild was delighted with his side’s teamwork as every rider played a key role in a meeting in which their only last place came against Poland in the Grand Final.
Hjerrild topped the score chart on 12, with Knudsen adding 10 and Breum notching nine as team managers Nicki Pedersen and Henrik Moller shuffled their pack.
Esben Hjerrild
“It was a heck of a meeting,” Hjerrild said. “We were all enthusiastic in the Danish team about winning the silver medal. When we got to the hotel yesterday, we knew we had to 100 percent stay together as a team. I think we showed we were a team today. We were the only team out there that didn’t concede a last place in the heats. The team spirit was great, and I am super proud. We did a great job as a team and having Nicki Pedersen as a coach is a gift to Danish sport. He’s such a good guy. Along with Henrik, he only wants the best for the boys, so that’s good.”
Latvian shooting star Gusts led his country to an unforgettable bronze medal, roared on by a passionate crowd in his home city. Having learned his speedway trade from starting at the Bikernieki venue as a complete novice, he admits the reaction of the local fans left a huge impression.
Francis Gusts
“When I started speedway here, it was just as something to do in the summer. I just didn’t want to sit at home – I wanted to do something. I love riding bikes. I tried speedway and I loved it. Somehow, I am here, time flies very fast and I am pretty happy with where I am now. We were very close to making the Final in that last heat, but I think we did a great job. Hearing everyone screaming ‘Latvia, Latvia’ gives you goosebumps. It was a very good feeling and the fact we could win some heats made it even better.”
Gusts returns to action at Bikernieki this weekend alongside fellow Latvian star Andzejs Lebedevs as the pair take on the sport’s biggest stars in the sold-out OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga.
Keynan Rew top scored for Australia, and was one of the top scorers for the event, but ultimately his score combined with James Pearson and Tate Zischke saw Team Australia finish fourth, two-points behind Latvia.
2023 FIM Speedway of Nations Under-21 World Championship
- POLAND 39: 1 Mateusz Cierniak 22, 2 Bartlomiej Kowalski 3, 3 Wiktor Przyjemski 14.
- DENMARK 31: 1 Emil Breum 9, 2 Esben Hjerrild 12, 3 Jesper Knudsen 10.
- LATVIA 27: 1 Francis Gusts 20, 2 Ricards Ansviesulis 7, 3 Ernests Matjusonoks 0.
- AUSTRALIA 25: 1 Keynan Rew 20, 2 James Pearson 5, 3 Tate Zischke 0.
- GERMANY 24: 1 Norick Blodorn 20, 2 Erik Bachhuber 4, 3 Patrick Hyjek DNR.
- CZECH REPUBLIC 23: 1 Petr Chlupac 11, 2 Daniel Klima 12, 3 Jaroslav Vanicek DNR.
- GREAT BRITAIN 20: 1 Anders Rowe 17, 2 Daniel Gilkes 3, 3 Drew Kemp 0.
