Soundbites: 14th June 2005

Adams	Ermolenko

"I felt I was struggling a little in the middle of the meeting and was getting slower and slower while the rest of the boys were getting faster and faster. I then changed back to the bike I used in my first race and it worked better. As for the final, I have been riding for 15 years, doing between 500 and 600 races a season, and I am now 34, but I think I did the best first corner of my life. I just put my back wheel against the fence and it worked perfectly. Once again it was a fantastic show at Cardiff, and it has become what Monaco is for the Formula One drivers. I am very happy to have finished the meeting standing on top of the rostrum again, and my aim now is simple, to win as many of the remaining GPs as I can."
Tony Rickardsson

"I think Ivan Mauger should think about sharpening up his gating skills to protect his record."
Leigh Adams sums up the 2005 Grand Prix season

"I'm still not quite clicking at home and it has been difficult to get the right set-up that works for me. People have to remember that Belle Vue is new to me this season. I've been out practising after meetings and I think I've got it working for me now but it has been a case of trial and error. I just hope I've cracked it now and can get my average up again."
Simon Stead after scoring paid 11 last night

"I was lucky in the final when Hans hit something on the track on the second bend. That enabled me to finish in front of him. I tried to catch Jarek for second but just couldn't find a way past him although my bike had very good speed. To be honest, though, I'm just so happy I got into the final. I wanted to do well before the meeting because I know that every point I can get is going to be important at the end of the GP season. I felt I did an okay start from gate one in the final but when you got into the first corner it was very slick on the inside. I'm sure that's why gates three and four were selected as the first choices by the other riders in the semis and final. The goal tonight was to improve on my seventh place in the GP and to get to the final. And I'm delighted I managed to achieve both."
Bjarne Pedersen on his third place in Cardiff

"I think we have a lot more strength in depth and character in the team. We're not the sort of team that's going to lay down and take it. Our backs were up against the wall, but we came out fighting and gave Newcastle a fright. I said to the riders before the meeting Newcastle will be thinking we're an easy touch, but we're not going to roll over and die, we'll get stuck in and see what the damage is at the end of it."
Dave Peet praises his under-strength Hull side for running Newcastle close on Sunday

"We have to lift ourselves and I believe we have the team in place to go to King's Lynn and put on a good show. Both Shaun and Andrew were only too pleased to accept the guest bookings."
Neil Machin on booking in track specialists Andrew Moore and Shaun Tacey for the trip to King's Lynn tomorrow

"I couldn't believe it when I heard Sheffield's team for the meeting. It was almost as if time slowed down for a couple of minutes while it all sunk in. I have told the boys to start getting ready for it now and I hope that this helps in mental preparation as we could find ourselves having to make up ground from the back for the first time this season."
Rob Lyon of King's Lynn - Expecting a tough time in their home match on Wednesday

"Behind Tony, anything can happen. If you can make a couple of finals, you will be straight back up there. It's amazing. The only good thing now is that everybody is dropping points - the bad thing is that the championship is going to be won, isn't it? Bar any major problem, Tony has got it in the bag with the lead he's got. I don't think anyone has had a lead like that after the first four races."
Lee Richardson on the Grand Prix

"Whether you are a speedway rider, a tiddly winks player or a car salesman, if you don't get the results expected your job is in jeopardy and I'm afraid that's the position Sam finds himself in. There is no way I can tolerate a second heat leader failing to score and we have to act now to try and salvage the season. I have been very concerned about Sam for a while and last night only heightened that. I will be looking all over the world to see if there are suitable riders out there."
Peterborough manager Trevor Swales - Is the end in sight for Sudden Sam?

"The disappointing thing for me is that the riders were beaten before they went out. They all seem to have this thing in their heads about the Exeter track. I could tell from the mood in the dressing room beforehand that we weren't going to do very well. They just seem to take it for granted that they are going to have a bad night around the County Ground track."
Workington boss Graham Drury on their heavy defeat at Exeter last night

This article was first published on 14th June 2005

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