ZAGAR READY TO FIGHT FOR SGP RETURN

Slovenian star Matej Zagar insisted “I still have the energy to race” as he pledged to push for an FIM Speedway Grand Prix return.

The Ljubljana-born racer exited the World Championship after finishing 13th in the SGP 2021 standings on 45 points.

The 38-year-old admits his season was badly hampered by a shoulder injury, suffered in his opening 2021 PGE Ekstraliga match for Zielona Gora at Torun on April 4.

But the former world No.5 insists his passion for the sport still burns bright. He said: “I still have the energy to race. I love speedway and I will keep racing the bike to be faster.”

Zagar has become a specialist at the winning the GP Challenge – the final round of the SGP qualification process. He topped the podium at Lonigo in 2014 and Gorican in both 2019 and 2020.

While his injury problems kept him out of this year’s qualifiers, he’s ready to fight his way back into the SGP line-up. “That’s my aim,” he said. “I will definitely go for it next year.”

Zagar was visibly unable to lift his left arm after last Saturday’s eWinner Torun SGP round 11. He admits injury and equipment combined to cost him dearly this year.

He said: “I could not really be 100 percent on form. I am obviously struggling with the equipment. I did not have the speed that I wanted. It is what it is.

“With my shoulder, there’s a soft bone that moves. It holds the shoulder in place and it just went bang in Torun at the start of the season. It’s a real issue. I can’t lift my arm. It’s not ideal.”