Aces star takes on world elite
GREAT Britain star Steve Worrall is keen to learn from ‘the best last place I’ve ever had’ after proving he could mix it with the sport’s elite in the Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup final.
Worrall bagged six points as GB fell just three points short of a medal in Leszno at the weekend.
After hitting the tapes in his opening ride, he bounced back to register two seconds and two third places.
He was unable to score in race 16 – an incredible battle between the Lions racer, Swedish ace Antonio Lindback, Polish hero Patryk Dudek and Russian icon Emil Sayfutdinov.
Worrall hit the front momentarily, only to be overhauled and left without a share of the points. But the Belle Vue and Newcastle man was pleased to prove he had the pace to take on the world’s top riders.
He said: “Heat 16 was the best last place I’ve ever had. When I looked at the line-up going into that heat – Lindback, Dudek and Sayfutdinov – I thought this could be a Grand Prix final.
“I just made a good start and rode the line I wanted to ride. I kind of forgot who was in it with me.
“Thinking about it, I wish I had done a few things differently. I would have liked to get out to the dirt. I kept getting trapped on the inside. But that’s all part of learning and that’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m doing it.”
Worrall admits coming into the final with no expectation him helped him pick up points.
He said: “It was tough. The level of opposition was high and the standard was really high.
“But maybe it helped me, coming in with no pressure on my shoulders. I wasn’t there to prove anything to anyone. I just came in, did my thing and luckily I was successful.”
The St Helens-born man showed huge composure to bounce back from breaking the tapes in his opening ride. He admits it may have proved a blessing in disguise as the meeting progressed.
He said: “Gating is one of my strong points. From the practice, I was a bit worried about my gates. In Poland, it’s a bit different to Britain. The material and the ruts are completely different.
“Once I got to the meeting, I just did my thing and it worked out well.
“I had one hiccup at the start when I hit the tapes, but other than that it was all right. Maybe I needed that to settle me down.
“I feel like inside my body I have a little timer. I’m so used to letting the clutch out when it’s meant to be let out in Britain. But I watched the race-off and the referee seemed to be holding the starts for longer.”