PREMIERSHIP PREVIEW: BELLE VUE

BELLE Vue enter the 2025 season as defending ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Champions after last year’s emphatic Grand Final win over Leicester.

The Aces went slightly under the radar during the regular campaign as they finished third in the league table, five points behind Sheffield, but their play-off place was never under threat, and when the season reached its crucial stage they got everything right.

The semi-final against Sheffield turned into a tense encounter, but having built up a 12-point advantage at the National Speedway Stadium, they defended superbly in the second leg at Owlerton and came through by four points overall, despite the loss of Ben Cook to injury during that meeting.

The Grand Final saw them make full use of their home circuit in the first leg, defeating Leicester 54-36 to make themselves heavy favourites, and they went on to win the return on the night to secure a second top-flight title in three years – ironically having waited nearly 30 years to break their drought.

Given the recent success, it’s no surprise that Aces boss Mark Lemon has opted to make minimal changes to his line-up, which is once again spearheaded by Australian Champion BRADY KURTZ, who enjoyed a sensational ending to 2024 and will now be a full-time Grand Prix rider, alongside Great Britain’s World No.4 DAN BEWLEY who continues to make great strides towards the very top of the sport.

Those two star names are backed up by former World Under-21 Champion JAIMON LIDSEY, with the Aussie as fast as anyone on his day, and German racer NORICK BLODORN gets another opportunity to continue his steady progress of the last two seasons with the club.

Coming into the top five is a third Australian, ZACH COOK, who enjoyed some fine displays with Birmingham last year, and he effectively replaces his brother Ben who has switched to King’s Lynn.

One of the most eye-catching moves last summer was the Aces’ signing of yet another Aussie, TATE ZISCHKE, who had starred with Workington in the Championship, only for his debut to end in disaster when he suffered season-ending injuries. Zischke was replaced by Finnish rider Antti Vuolas, who certainly played his part in their title success, but a fit-again Zischke resumes his place this season.

The Rising Star berth is taken once more by JAKE MULFORD, who started 2023 in the role before dropping out due to injury, and then reclaiming his place midway through last season when Connor Bailey quit the sport. Mulford also enjoyed individual success in 2024 when he became World Under-23 Long Track Champion.

2025 STARTING LINE-UP:

Brady Kurtz 9.18

Dan Bewley 8.52

Jaimon Lidsey 6.58

Zach Cook 5.57

Norick Blodorn 5.40

Tate Zischke 4.57

Jake Mulford (RS)

*Line-up subject to approval