FORTUNATE FREDDIE

Swedish star Freddie Lindgren was relieved to be left with little more than a hand injury in his Vojens horror crash last Saturday.

The Czestochowa and Vastervik star was battling wild card Mikkel Michelsen for third place in semi-final two of the Danish SGP sponsored by Ecco.

The Dane lifted into his rival as Lindgren made a move around the outside going into the final lap and the world No.3 was bounced off the fence, which saw him slump forward on to his own handlebars.

Lindgren was then carried helplessly towards turn one, where he careered into the air fence, with his bike cart-wheeling over him.

Incredibly, Fast Freddie got back to his feet very quickly along with Michelsen and the rider was pleased to be left with a surprisingly clean bill of health.

Lindgren said: “Considering the crash and the big impact I had, I am very well. I have a little bit of pain in my hand, but nothing is broken. I am a little bit battered and bruised, but that’s about it.”

The Andorra-based ace was not left completely unscathed. He admitted he is not certain of being fit enough to lead Sweden into Friday’s Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Semi-Final 1, which sees them take on Poland, Denmark, Czech Republic, USA, Slovenia and Finland.

Speaking on Monday afternoon, he said: “I do need some more days to see how my hand heals up and if it’s going to be strong enough to hold on to the handlebars or not. It is still very swollen and I have probably hit it very hard. It’s blue and yellow and I have a bit of a problem with moving it.”

Footage of Lindgren’s crash has gone viral on social media. But no-one had a better view than the former FIM Speedway World Cup winner, who is glad he is fit enough to tell the tale, and had an air fence to break his fall.

“I remember everything,” he said. “I was never unconscious. I didn’t get a concussion either.

“I saw Michelsen lifting coming out of turn four. It looked like he was going to get it down and control it, so that’s why I decided to give it a go around the outside. But then he lifted more towards the outside and hit me. After that, I was kind of a passenger.

“I just tried to relax and wait for the impact. It took a long time. Normally the crash happens faster, but I was just waiting for the impact to happen and I was just there thinking, ‘when is it going to come?’ Then bang!

“Of course the air fence helped a lot in that crash. It helped me to avoid injuring myself more.”