Danish champion Nicki Pedersen is ready to pile the pressure on World Championship leader Greg Hancock after winning the FIM Fogo Croatian Speedway Grand Prix in Gorican on Saturday night.
The Odense-born racer topped the rostrum ahead of Swedish star Andreas Jonsson, Polish icon Tomasz Gollob and wild card Jurica Pavlic, who delighted the locals by bagging fourth spot on his family track.
Pedersen, who has 91 World Championship points, is now just six behind Hancock in second place with five SGP rounds remaining.
The Dane‰Ûªs position was strengthened as triple world champion Jason Crump failed to make the final as he bravely battled on just a week after undergoing surgery on a broken collarbone.
Meanwhile, Chris Holder was forced out of the meeting after aggravating a pre-existing rib injury when a broken primary chain sent him crashing in heat 14.
Crump is now on 87 points after scoring nine, while Holder is on 84 after exiting on six.
Pedersen knows he has a long way to go before he can celebrate his fourth World Championship. But he was determined to turn up the heat on the Californian, who has ruled the roost since the FIM Swedish SGP in Gothenburg on May 26.
‰ÛÏIf I wanted to fight for the top three, I knew I needed to pull something back," Pedersen explained.
‰ÛÏAt least I have put the pressure on Greg again. He hasn‰Ûªt had any pressure in the last couple of Grand Prix rounds. I don‰Ûªt think anybody likes pressure, so that will be good," he added.
Pedersen‰Ûªs last Grand Prix win came at the FIM Mitas Czech SGP in Prague on May 12. Six of the last eight Marketa Stadium winners have gone on to be crowned world champion in the same year.
But the FIM Monster Energy Speedway World Cup gold medallist isn‰Ûªt concerning himself with omens and lucky charms.
‰ÛÏI don‰Ûªt look at it that way,‰Û
