FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS STARTING LINE-UPS REVEALED

The starting line-ups have been confirmed for the 2024 FIM Speedway of Nations Semi-Finals in Manchester on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Fifteen countries will compete in the ultimate test of team riding at Britain’s National Speedway Stadium in a bid to be crowned FIM Speedway world team champions for 2024.

Hosts Great Britain famously won the FIM SON world title when Manchester last staged the event in 2021 – ending a 32-year run without a world team championship win. They will bid to regain the crown they lost to Australia at Danish venue Vojens in 2022, with the Lions seeded straight through to the Final on Saturday, July 13 as host nation. 

The GB starting line-up will be selected following the two Semi-Finals, with Speedway GP stars Robert Lambert, Dan Bewley and the injured Tai Woffinden named in their five-rider squad alongside FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff wild card Tom Brennan and former British champion Adam Ellis.

Fourteen countries will compete for six spots alongside GB in the FIM SON Final, with Poland lining up in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday July 9, taking on 2022 bronze medallists Sweden, former finalists Finland, France, and Germany, with Italy and Ukraine completing the line-up. 

Champions Australia compete in Semi-Final 2 on Wednesday, July 10, meeting 2020 and 2021 bronze medallists Denmark, former finalists Czech Republic and Latvia, with USA, Slovenia and Norway also in action.

The top two countries from each Semi-Final automatically join GB in the FIM SON Final, with the third and fourth-placed teams competing in a Final Qualifier for one last place in the Saturday showdown. Each national team manager has named a two-rider starting line-up at No.1 and No.2, with the option to select a reserve rider at No.3, who can replace riders No.1 and No.2 at any time of their choosing.

FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS SEMI-FINAL STARTING LINE-UPS

SEMI-FINAL 1 – TUESDAY, JULY 9

Team A – FRANCE

1. David Bellego ©
2. Steven Goret
3. Mathias Trésarrieu
   Team manager: Laurent Sambarrey

Team B – POLAND

1. Dominik Kubera
2. Bartosz Zmarzlik ©
3. Maciej Janowski
   Team manager: Rafal Dobrucki

Team C – ITALY

1. Paco Castagna ©
2. Nicolas Covatti
3. Nicolas Vicentin
   Team manager: Alessandro Dalla Valle

Team D – UKRAINE

1. Stanislav Melnychuk ©
2. Marko Levishyn
   Team manager: TBC

Team E – GERMANY

1. Kai Huckenbeck ©
2. Norick Blödorn
3. Erik Riss
   Team manager: Mathias Bartz

Team F – SWEDEN

1. Fredrik Lindgren ©
2. Jacob Thorssell
3. Oliver Berntzon
   Team manager: Morgan Andersson

Team G – FINLAND

1. Jesse Mustonen ©
2. Antti Vuolas
3. Otto Raak
   Team manager: Aki-Pekka Mustonen

SEMI-FINAL 2 – WEDNESDAY, JULY 10

Team A – CZECH REPUBLIC

1. Vaclav Milik ©
2. Jan Kvech
3. Adam Bubba Bednar
   Team manager: Ezven Erban

Team B – AUSTRALIA

1. Jack Holder ©
2. Max Fricke
3. Brady Kurtz
   Team manager: Mark Lemon

Team C – NORWAY

1. Mathias Pollestad ©
2. Truls Kamhaug
3. Glenn Moi
   Team manager: Kenneth Klipper Smith

Team D – SLOVENIA

1. Anze Grmek
2. Matic Ivacic ©
3. Denis Stojs
   Team manager: Gregor Arnsek

Team E – USA

1. Broc Nicol
2. Gino Manzares ©
3. Luke Becker
   Team manager: Steve Evans

Team F – DENMARK

1. Mikkel Michelsen ©
2. Anders Thomsen
3. Rasmus Jensen
   Team manager: Nicki Pedersen

Team G – LATVIA

1. Andzejs Lebedevs ©
2. Daniils Kolodinskis
3. Francis Gusts
   Team manager: Vladimir Ribnikovs