Leicester, whose first year in the Elite League has been disrupted by injuries, have entered the transfer market and completed deals to bring in two new riders, Krzysztof Buczkowski and Nicolai Klindt.
Buczkowski joins the Rapid Solicitors Lions on loan from parent club the Peterborough Panthers and currently rides in the top divisions in Poland for Unia Tarnow and Dackarna in Sweden. The twenty-eight year old Polish international was not initially in the Panthers 2013 starting line-up but was asked back to re-join them in July. His arrival helped turn-around Peterborough’s season that was going nowhere and Buczkowski soared to the top of the team’s averages after a spate of double figure scores which included three consecutive meetings where he remained unbeaten by an opposing rider.
Buczkowski, who becomes the first Polish rider to race for the Lions in the new era, replaces another Peterborough asset, Patrick Hougaard who has been out of the team since breaking a thumb at Coventry in April. “It is well known now that Patrick has decided to give British Speedway a miss following his return to fitness which is a shame but we wish him well and if he ever decides to return to race in the UK then I am sure that there will be a lot of interest for his services. We have operated long enough with guest riders and we can now look forward to having a full team again. Krzysztof has proved himself over here before and he was one of the success stories at Peterborough last season and comes into the side on a 7.33 match average which places him second in the team to Jason Doyle” explained the Lions team manager Norrie Allan.
Nicolai Klindt, who started the season at Swindon, lost his place after just five matches for the Robins but then was offered a contract to ride for Scunthorpe in the Premier League where he has risen to the top of the Scorpions averages. The twenty-five year old former European and Danish Junior Champion gave notice of his pedigree during a preliminary round of the Grand Prix challenge in Slovenia last Saturday when he won the meeting after a run-off against the home favourite and Belle Vue number one Matej Zagar. Klindt now joins new teammates Jason Doyle and Mads Korneliussen in the semi-final of the competition due to be staged in Poland in a week’s time. Making way for Klindt’s arrival is Lasse Bjerre who has yet to show the form that made him a big favourite during his two seasons with the Lions during their Premier League days.
“I think Nicolai was unlucky to be discarded by Swindon where he was averaging close to six points a meeting but he has really hit a rich seam of scoring for Scunthorpe. He is much better than his current average and at 3.83 it has enabled us to fit in Krzysztof Buczkowski. It is unfortunate that we have to say goodbye to Lasse so soon after he re-joined the club but I had to take into account the team as a whole and I believe that we are now stronger than before. If we can avoid another spate of injuries which has blighted our season so far then I am optimistic that we can begin to improve and start to move up the league table.” added Allan.
Subject to the British Speedway Promoters’ Association approving the transfers then both Krzysztof Buczkowski and Nicolai Klindt are expected to make their debuts for Leicester on Wednesday when the Lions take on the Poole Pirates for Elite League points in Dorset.
