Danish rider Leon Madsen has described the opening stages of his 2026 season as the “worst start of my career” before turning things around in style with a commanding FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague victory on Saturday night.
At Marketa Stadium’s record-extending 30th consecutive Speedway GP event, Madsen overcame a difficult start to the year to top the podium ahead of Australian Brady Kurtz in second and Polish star Bartosz Zmarzlik in third.
The result marked a major turnaround for Madsen, who had scored just one championship point at the opening round in Landshut, Germany. It arrived in Prague battling a combination of injuries, illness and equipment issues.
Reflecting on his struggles, Madsen said: “It has been a tough year for me. The start of the season has probably been the worst start of my career. It has been very hard, but it has started looking good. I have been struggling with a lot of things that people don’t know, which have been going on behind the scenes. It has been really tough, and I had to work very, very hard to get back.”
He went on to detail the physical setbacks that derailed his early season, adding: “Mentally, I have never struggled that hard. I really had to dig deep. But, nevertheless, it’s a nice feeling that all the hard work is paying off, and I am happy to be back. Hopefully all the bad luck and bad things are behind me now, and I can look forward to a more positive future. I started out the season with a bad crash. I injured my ribs and leg, and I had a concussion. I was really struggling with that a lot more than people thought. I started to feel a bit better and then I got hit by some illness. On top of this, I was struggling with the bikes.”
Madsen said recent changes and renewed confidence in his equipment had been key to his revival in Prague.
“Now I feel better. We have been working very hard and we have changed the bikes. I have done some practices, and we had a very good feeling – a very positive feeling. I felt the bike was working well in practice, but you can never be 100 percent until you get to the tapes with the other boys,” he said.
He also dedicated the win to his family, adding, “I want to dedicate this to my two girls. Hopefully, they will see their dad winning and can be proud.”
Behind him, Brady Kurtz pushed Madsen hard throughout the final, finishing second after a strong ride that moves him up to third in the Speedway GP standings on 26 points.
Kurtz said he was relieved to rebound after a tough opener, explaining: “I really needed to have a good one and get back up there in the standings to put myself in with a chance of doing something for the rest of the year. I am super happy with it. It was a battle. It definitely didn’t go all my own way. Gate four was tough in the final. I am not sure how I found myself in second place, but I got there and did everything I could to try and get Leon. But credit to him; he did a fabulous job and definitely deserved the win.”
He added that strong starts were crucial to his night, saying, “I made some really good starts, which is always important for me. It was nice to get back up there. I am super happy with second. It has been a good night for me and my team. It was nice to get back on track.”
Championship leader Bartosz Zmarzlik completed the podium in third, securing the red plate after another consistent night in Prague where he topped the heat score chart with 13 points to qualify directly for the final.
“I am happy because I was consistent again and in the final, which is important. Congratulations to Leon and Brady. They did a really nice job in the final. There was some good racing with the boys,” Zmarzlik said.
He also reflected on his improved record at Marketa Stadium, adding: “For the first few years when I raced here, I always had problems here in Prague. But for the last four years, I have been in the final. I am happy and proud about this.”
Zmarzlik now leads the championship standings ahead of compatriot Kacper Woryna, and joked about their friendly rivalry, saying: “Kacper always says to me, ‘If I don’t win, you win and make it a 5-1!’ It’s always fun to speak with him. He is also having a really nice season this year.”
The Speedway GP series now heads to Manchester for the ATPI FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain double-header at the National Speedway Stadium on June 5 and 6.
| 2026 SpeedwayGP Standings After Round 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Name | Total Points | Gap |
| 1st | Bartosz Zmarzlik | 32 Points | +0 |
| 2nd | Kacper Woryna | 31 Points | -1 |
| 3rd | Brady Kurtz | 26 Points | -6 |
| 4th | Leon Madsen | 21 Points | -11 |
| 5th | Jack Holder | 21 Points | -11 |
| 6th | Robert Lambert | 20 Points | -12 |
| 7th | Jason Doyle | 19 Points | -13 |
| 8th | Dan Bewley | 18 Points | -14 |
| 9th | Dominik Kubera | 17 Points | -15 |
| 10th | Michael Jepsen Jensen | 16 Points | -16 |
| 11th | Patryk Dudek | 15 Points | -17 |
| 12th | Andzejs Lebedevs | 14 Points | -18 |
| 13th | Fredrik Lindgren | 12 Points | -20 |
| 14th | Max Fricke | 10 Points | -22 |
| 15th | Nazar Parnitskyi | 8 Points | -24 |
| 16th | Anders Thomsen | 4 Points | -28 |
| 17th | Norick Blödorn | 4 Points | -28 |
| 18th | Jan Kvěch | 3 Points | -29 |
| 19th | Adam Bubba Bednar | 1 Point | -31 |
