Hancock in bid to pass Cardiff test

FOUR-TIME world champion Greg Hancock insists he has gone through some testing times to ensure he’s back at top speed for the Adrian Flux British SGP in Cardiff on Saturday.

The three-time Principality Stadium winner returns to the Welsh capital on the back of a quiet spell, having sat out the Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup and been limited to a meeting for Torun and two for Piraterna since the Kjaergaard Danish SGP in Horsens on June 24.

While taking some time out with his family, he insists he has been working hard on the testing track as he bids to hit top speed for the second-half of the season.

“This is one of the biggest meetings you can race in and it’s somewhere I’ve had some good success in the past, so I’ll be heading into the meeting with even more speed, desire and momentum than ever before,” says Hancock.

And having topped the Cardiff podium in 2004, 2011 and 2014, he can think of no better place to test himself on his return to the world stage.

“In one way, I hate to have a long break like this because I’m in a good rhythm, but we’ve been testing a lot to make sure the equipment is at 100 percent.

“I need to make sure I can come back for the second half of the season with a clear mind.

“Cardiff is a great place to come back to after a break because it’s a special place for me.”

Hancock is currently seventh in the World Championship on 45 points – 20 short of series leader Jason Doyle with seven rounds remaining - but believes he’s back on the pace as he bids to close that gap and climb the ladder.

“It has been more or less below par for me so far this season, but in recent weeks it really feels like we’ve got things working the way we like it again. The bikes are working great now,” he said.

“We have some changes being made to some of my engines, so they should come back good and we really feel like we’re back in the game.

“My league form over the last month or so has been pretty good. I’ve scored a lot of points and it has given me a lot of confidence that we’re on the right path, so I’m really excited for the rest of the season.

“It’s never fun to start the season chasing and to be searching for the right set-up, but it just makes me even hungrier to work hard and get back in the mix.”