FIM SPEEDWAY: MICHELSEN READY FOR FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP FINAL THRILLER AFTER DANES WIN IN RIGA
Danish racer Mikkel Michelsen can’t wait for a Final “thriller” in Warsaw after his side stormed to victory at 11.lv FIM Speedway World Cup Semi-Final 2 – Riga on Friday, August 7.
Despite scoring just three points from their opening four heats, Denmark bounced back to triumph on 40 points at Bikernieki, with Sweden pipping hosts Latvia to second place on countback after they tied on 32, while Norway finished fourth on 15.
The Danes now face hosts and reigning champions Poland, 2025 FIM Speedway of Nations world champions Australia and Semi-Final 1 winners Great Britain at the BOLL FIM SWC Final – Warsaw on August 29. The line-up is a repeat of the epic 2023 Final in Wroclaw, which saw all four countries separated by just six points.
Michelsen, who scored 10 points, was proud of his side for turning things around after a nightmare start and is expecting another classic in what’s shaping up to be the biggest FIM Speedway world team final for generations at the iconic PGE Narodowy.
He said: “I am proud of the team. We really didn’t get off to a great start. After that first heat, I was wondering, ‘What am I going to do from here?’
“Practice was good. All of us were good in practice. We had the fastest times. But it just goes to show that the track changes a lot from practice to the meeting.
“I think we need to give ourselves credit. We did well, but in Warsaw, we are not going to get away with a start like that. We need to be a little bit better from the get-go.
“I think it’s going to be a thriller in Warsaw. I think it’s going to be the most exciting SWC to watch in many years. There are four good nations, and four nations with depth. It’s going to be hard work, but I am really excited. I am just proud to be a part of this team, proud to represent my country, and I am looking forward to Warsaw.”
Team manager Nicki Pedersen was also taken aback by his side’s slow start. He said: “We had a good practice session, but when it came to the meeting and the first four heats, we were left thinking, ‘Wow! What happened there?!’
“But I got the boys together and we had a good chat. They pretty much knew what went wrong and modified the bikes. I said we should stay cool and calm and look forward to the next block of heats. We turned it around, and I am proud of them. The good thing is the boys worked very well together. That’s very important for me. They don’t need to be best friends, but we need to be good friends while we’re here.
“As soon as you’re in that SWC Final on the big stage, anything can happen. Of course, we want to go and do our very best. We definitely want to go for the gold. The other teams like Poland and Australia are good, but we need to look towards ourselves, do our best. Hopefully we have the luck and aim high.”
Speedway GP star Leon Madsen goes into Saturday’s DEWALT FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga at Bikernieki on a real high after topping the Danish score chart on 14 points.
Madsen, currently sixth in the Speedway GP World Championship, said: “It was a good night for me. I tried something new on my bike with the setup, and I think we should have done that a long time ago, but better late than never.
“It seems to be working very well. It felt a little bit like the old days. Even when I didn’t make the start, I still had the speed to chase. It felt good, and I felt comfortable on the bike. It’s looking good for Saturday.”
The Bikernieki circuit has undergone a major revamp for 2026, with the corners widened, banking added, and the track resurfaced. Thomsen is pleased with the improvements. He said: “It’s much better than last year – definitely. After they changed the track, it is a more race-able track. There is more space on the straights, so there are going to be some passes on Saturday.”
Frederik Jakobsen picked up four points on his SWC debut for Denmark and admits teamwork will be crucial as his side heads for Warsaw. He said: “I feel like we had an awesome team spirit, awesome determination and I think we showed some real character after the first four heats to come back as a team. Doing it individually is one thing, but we need to work together as a team, otherwise it will be hard work in Warsaw. It was an eventful night, but it was enjoyable in the end.”
Skipper Michael Jepsen Jensen raced to nine points for the Danes. He was part of their 2012 SWC winning side in Malilla and can’t wait for the chance to race for the title at PGE Narodowy.
He said: “It’s going to be mega. Warsaw is going to be huge and to be a part of that will be great. I am super excited for that. It’s going to be awesome to be there, and I believe we can do something great. I think it’s our time to shine.”
Latvia narrowly missed out on second place, with Sweden pipping them on countback, recording five race wins to the hosts’ three.
Home skipper Andzejs Lebedevs topped their scoring on 14 points and enjoyed great support from the Latvian fans. He can’t wait to feed off their huge energy once again when he lines up in the DEWALT FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga on Saturday.
Lebedevs, who was third in the 2025 SGP round at Bikernieki, said: “I always enjoy it here in Riga in front of my crowd.
“On Saturday, there will be even more people. The crowd on Friday was fantastic too. They were screaming and giving me really big support. Having so many people behind you is a stress, but also a motivation – it’s positive stress.”
