Cardiff prepares for Emil's arrival
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The FIM Speedway Grand Prix series makes its annual visit to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff tonight for the British Grand Prix. Cardiff has become an annual pilgrimage for speedway fans from all over the globe, it is the biggest event that the sport has. "It's our Monaco" says series leader Jason Crump.
When the tapes go up at around 5:15pm there will be a deafening roar and a blast of some 40,000 air horns, creating a noise that you suspect could be heard as far away as Swansea.
While the three British riders, Scott Nicholls, Chris Harris and Edward Kennett will get the loudest and most heartfelt cheers of the night, many eyes will be on the diminutive frame of a 19-year-old Tartar from the edge of Russia called Emil Sayfutdinov, who happens to be the most talked about person in the sport right now.
Emil is the only rider in the sport's history to have won the Under-21 world championship twice, and he is also the only rider to have won on his grand prix debut, which he followed up with a second win in his third grand prix.
He is clearly talented, and will be making his debut on British soil. Crump is a two-time world champion and said: "Any boy who can come in, and he is still a teenager, and clean up in his very first grand prix is something special. He has exceptional balance and also exceptional speed. He's also been very clever in the build-up to his career in that he's put a great team of mechanics in place around him."
Twice in four grand prix Emil – as he has already rather unsurprisingly become known – has come into contact with reigning world champion Nicki Pedersen. Both times they have hit the deck and both times Pedersen has been excluded. There are clear signs that Emil has the teak-hard Dane worried.
Pedersen needs a big night if he is to get his quest for a third consecutive world title back on track. "Jason has a huge lead," he said, "but it's not the same as saying I give up. I will do everything to put pressure on him in Cardiff."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments