Defending World Champion, Jason Crump, has finished third in the opening round of the 2005 Speedway Grand Prix held at Wroclaw
in Poland on April 30, establishing an excellent foundation to retain his coveted crown.
Jason won three of his five qualifying races before taking out the semi-final to graduate to the ultimate round but is the
first to admit that he was off his game on the night as five time world champion, Tony Rickardsson produced a perfect score
not dropping a race to take out the first event of the 2005 season with fellow Australian, Leigh Adams, second.
"Rickardsson was exceptional," complimented Jason. "His riding was superb. He was probably at 110% whereas I was at about 80%.
I was very poor off the starts plus, this has never been my favourite track. t was my worst result last year so I'm very happy
to finish third."
"The way I was riding I'm really glad I made the final and getting on the podium was a big bonus. If I had won it wouldn't have
been right. Iit's given me something to build on as you don't win a championship in the first GP.
"Quite simply, I just couldn't get my starts. I got gate two in the final and made another shocker of a start, then it was
really hard to get past Lindback, so I had to give him a hard time on the back straight on the last lap to get by but by then
it was too late."
It was only the fourth time since 1995 that Jason has finished third in a Grand Prix
event, the last occurrence at the one and only event held at the Sydney Olympic
Stadium at the end of 2002.
"There's certainly plenty to build on for the next meeting in two weeks time so in the
mean-time I will be really working on getting off the line a lot better."
"I've got to keep my head down and concentrate hard to get to the position where I won
last year."
The world championship will be held over nine rounds with the Swedish Grand Prix set
down for May 14 at Eskilstuna, culminating in the finale to be held for the first time in
Italy, at Vicenza, on September 10.
Grand Prix points after one (of nine) rounds:
1 T Rickardsson (Sweden), 25 pts
2 L Adams (Australia), 20
3 Jason Crump (Australia), 18
4 A Lindback (Sweden) 16
5 G Hancock (USA), 11
