Change works for Leigh Adams (From Swindon Advertiser)

Change works for Leigh Adams

9:35am Monday 12th May 2008 in Sport By Sports Reporter

LEIGH Adams pinpointed a mid-meeting change of bike as the moment that paved the way for his seventh Grand Prix victory.

Adams, watched by Swindon boss Alun Rossiter in Leszno, picked out the moment he changed set-ups as his European Grand Prix win put right back in the thick of the world title hunt.

The Robins' skipper admitted: ''I swapped machinery halfway through the meeting and from that point on I was unstoppable.'' Adams won the final ahead of another 37-year-old, American Greg Hancock, who also had three seasons with Leszno, while defending champion Nicki Pedersen came third, enough to give him a two-point lead in the overall standings.

Pedersen was at the centre of controversy as he qualified for the final despite crashing on the final bend of his semi-final when 2006 world champion Jason Crump attempted to pass him.

German referee Frank Ziegler excluded Crump and awarded Pedersen second place, apparently ignoring the rulebook as the Dane did not cross the finish line and the race had not been stopped.

That eliminated Poland's Tomasz Gollob, who had earlier claimed three race wins, as had Hancock, who dropped just one point in his five qualifying heats.

In the final though, Adams roared clear in gate two and held off all the American's attempts to pass him.

RESULTS European Grand Prix scorers: L Adams (Australia) 20, G Hancock (USA) 20, N Pedersen (Denmark) 16, J Hampel (Poland) 16, T Gollob (Poland) 12, N Kristian-Iversen (Denmark) 10, A.Jonsson (Sweden) 9, J Crump (Australia) 8, F Lindgren (Sweden) 7, H Andersen (Denmark) 6, C Harris (Great Britain) 6, R Holta (Poland) 4, L Tomicek (Czech Republic) 3, K Kasprzak (Poland) 3, L Dryml (Czech Republic) 2, S Nicholls (Great Britain) 2.

Overall standings: N Pedersen 33, T Gollob 31, G Hancock 28, L Adams 25, A Jonsson 21, H Andersen 20, J Crump 18, N Kristian Iversen 18, J Hampel 16, F Lindgren 14, C Harris 12, L Dryml 11, R Holta 9, S Nicholls 9, K Kaspzrak 9. M Zagar 7, B Pedersen 4, L Tomicek 3.