Holta claims victory in Sweden

Track deteriorates to cause several crashes

Last updated: 24th May 2008

Rune Holta

Holta: Winner

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Rune Holta won the Swedish Grand Prix after an incident packed evening in Gothenburg.

The recently laid dirt track cut up badly as the evening progressed, causing spectacular falls and injuries to riders, resulting in delays for watering and grading.

Eventually it was Holta who won through in the final from Gate 4, after coming from last to first in a fantastic manoeuvre off the first corner, when he swept around the outside past world champion Nicki Pedersen, Fredrik Linndgren and Jason Crump, who were covering the inside.

Win easily

The Pole pulled away to win easily, with Lindgren eventually claiming second ahead of Pedersen, with Crump back in fourth.

In winning the final, Holta is the first qualifier for the Super Prix event which will pitch the winners of the Swedish, Danish, British and German grand prix finals against one another in October for an additional $200,000 of prize funds.

But it was the Swede Lindgren who earned the most points on the night - 22 - after he won all his five heats and semi-final, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Pederson's points haul - 16 - means the world champion is now ten points clear in the overall standings.

Track deterioration

But it was the state of the track which will provoke most debate as it deteriorated quickly on the evening.

A lack of watering combined with hot weather is believed to have caused the ruts which un-seated several riders before additional watering and re-grading for the latter stages.

But the most serious injuries on the night were caused by collisions, with Neils Iverson sustaining a suspected dislocated shoulder after an accident with Crump in Heat 5.

Andreas Jonsson then had to miss the semi-finals after a nasty-looking crash following a collision with Tomsz Gollop in Heat 19.

British riders Scott Nicholls and Chris 'Bomber' Harris again missed out on the semis, finishing with seven and five points respectively.