PREVIEW: BRITISH U21 FINAL, GLASGOW

GLASGOW host the British Under-21 Final today (Sunday, 2pm) with 16 of the country’s top youngsters battling for the prestigious national title.

Tigers star Leon Flint is the only former winner in the field having been victorious in 2022 as well as runner-up two years prior to that.

And Flint is expected to face a tough challenge from Dan Thompson, who finished second to him in ’22 and then third last year having led the Final for much of the way when Connor Bailey took the top prize.

The line-up also includes two more ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Rising Stars in Ashton Boughen and Sam Hagon, and a second home representative with Ace Pijper hoping to impress.

Pijper said: “I’m always careful about expectations. I always have targets in my mind but sometimes it can affect you if you don’t get to those targets.

“I’ve always been taught to ride the wave. Just so what you can and move on, whether it’s been a good or bad result, treat it the same way. 

“It gets to a point that you can only have so much advice. A lot of the top riders will say it’s important for us youngsters to make our mistakes and learn from them. 

“I’m definitely doing that. But I know deep down I’m making progress.”

LINE-UP: 1.Ashton Boughen, 2.Ben Trigger, 3.Max James, 4.Sam Hagon, 5.Mickie Simpson, 6.Joe Thompson, 7.Leon Flint, 8.Dan Thompson, 9.Vinnie Foord, 10.Jake Mulford, 11.Luke Harrison, 12.Freddy Hodder, 13.Nathan Ablitt, 14.Ace Pijper, 15.Jody Scott, 16.Luke Killeen. Reserves: Stene Pijper and Mark Parker.

*LIVE STREAMING: https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk