Latvian Racer Lebedevs Claims Six-Point Lead in Speedway European Championship

Latvian racer Andzejs Lebedevs extended his lead in the Speedway European Championship to six points after securing a dominant victory at round three in Gustrow on Saturday.

The 2017 SEC champion, who is also currently vying for a spot in the 2025 Speedway GP series, emerged victorious in the final ahead of fellow SGP competitor Leon Madsen, who finished second. Danish rider Rasmus Jensen took third place, followed by French racer Dimitri Berge.

Lebedevs' impressive 15-point haul in Germany propelled him to the top of the standings with 39 points, setting the stage for a thrilling final round in Chorzow on September 21st. At the iconic Stadion Slaski, Lebedevs needs only to secure 13 points or more to secure his second consecutive Speedway GP season, a feat that would also grant him automatic qualification for the 2025 World Championship.

This crucial result would be a significant boost for Lebedevs, who currently sits 13th in the Speedway GP standings with 43 points, trailing the top six by a substantial 32 points.

Lebedevs' victory in Gustrow was a testament to his unwavering determination. He finished the heats in the top two, securing a place in the final despite a disappointing last place finish in his third race. Madsen also qualified for the final with a strong performance, scoring 12 points.

Jensen, on the other hand, had to fight his way to the final, emerging victorious in the semi-final ahead of Berge, who secured the second qualifying spot. Swedish international Timo Lahti and Polish rider Piotr Pawlicki missed out on the final, finishing third and fourth in the semi-final respectively.

Jensen amassed 10 points during the heats, adding one more in the final to finish with a total of 11 points. Berge, Lahti, and Pawlicki each collected nine championship points, alongside former world No.2 Patryk Dudek and Kacper Woryna, who entered the round as joint leaders of the SEC standings alongside Lebedevs.

Madsen's second-place finish in Gustrow propelled him to second place overall in the championship standings with 33 points, tying with Woryna in third place. Pawlicki currently sits in fourth place with 32 points.

Former world No.3 Maciej Janowski collected eight points in Gustrow, placing him fifth in the standings with 27 points. He currently holds the final automatic qualifying spot for the 2025 SEC competition.

Dudek sits just behind Janowski with 26 points, while Jensen and reigning champion Mikkel Michelsen are tied for seventh and eighth place with 25 points each.

Michelsen's night ended abruptly in heat 13 when he crashed on lap three, bend two. He was disqualified from the re-run and did not participate in his final heat.

Speedway European Championship Standings (After 3/4 Rounds):

1. Andzejs Lebedevs 39
2. Leon Madsen 33
3. Kacper Woryna 33
4. Piotr Pawlicki 32
5. Maciej Janowski 27
6. Patryk Dudek 26
7. Rasmus Jensen 25
8. Mikkel Michelsen 25
9. Anders Thomsen 24
10. Timo Lahti 24
11. Janusz Kołodziej 17
12. Jacob Thorssell 16
13. Dimitri Berge 12
14. Norick Blödorn 12
15. Max Fricke 10
16. Vaclav Milik 9
17. Jevgenijs Kostigovs 8
18. Bartłomiej Kowalski 4
19. Kevin Wölbert 2

Gustrow Points:

1. Andzejs Lebedevs 15
2. Leon Madsen 14
3. Rasmus Jensen 11
4. Dimitri Berge 9
5. Timo Lahti 9
6. Piotr Pawlicki 9
7. Kacper Woryna 9
8. Patryk Dudek 9
9. Maciej Janowski 8
10. Janusz Kołodziej 7
11. Anders Thomsen 7
12. Jacob Thorssell 5
13. Norick Blodorn 5
14. Mikkel Michelsen 5
15. Kevin Wolbert 2
16. Jevgenijs Kostigovs 2
17. Lukas Baumann 0
18. Patrick Hyjek DNR