Denmark skipper Nicki Pedersen paid tribute to his side’s spirit as they stormed into the FIM PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna Speedway World Cup Final with victory in Vojens on Saturday. The hosts triumphed in Event One with 50 points, but they had to hold off a furious challenge from Scandinavian neighbours Sweden, who finished on 48 and led the meeting several times. Despite a slow start to the night, Australia fought back hard and finished third with 47. Germany ended up fourth on nine and were eliminated from the competition. The Danes were led to victory by Bjarne Pedersen and SWC debutant Mads Korneliussen, who topped their team’s scorechart on 12 apiece. Nicki Pedersen, who returned to the national side after missing last year’s World Cup due to injury, scored 10 from his five outings. The Grand Prix star was over the moon with the mood in the camp and feels it made all the difference as the Danes secured their place in the SWC Final at Gorzow on Saturday. He said: “We worked hard yesterday and today to have the team spirit that we’ve always had, and I’m very happy and very pleased with the whole team. “We were laughing yesterday, we were laughing today, we were talking about setups and we were meeting up together between races. “Every time there was a new round of heats, we were talking about what we were doing well and how the setup was. Everybody was cheerful and happy, and going straight into the Final is definitely the way to go. “I’m pleased with the team and I’m sure that’s the team we are going to use on Saturday.” Sweden could still reach the Final as they join Australia in the Race-Off at Gorzow on Thursday. The teams collide with the second and third-placed sides from Event Two at King’s Lynn on Monday, and the top two on Thursday night will also qualify for the Final. If defending SWC champions Poland fail to triumph at the Norfolk Arena against Team Great Britain, Russia and the Czech Republic, they would join the Swedes and Aussies in an exceptionally tough Race-Off. So Pedersen admits the Danes dodged a bullet by avoiding the last-chance meeting and securing an automatic place in the last four. He said: “We’re very pleased. If the Brits win at King’s Lynn, it’s going to be a hectic one on Thursday. I’m very pleased we’re straight into the Final.” Pedersen and his Danish team mate Niels-Kristian Iversen both race their Polish Ekstraliga home meetings in Gorzow and should have a head start when it comes to finding the right bike setup for the Final. But Pedersen has played down the importance of his inside knowledge and is expecting a completely different track to what he is used to at the Edward Jancarz Stadium. He said: “Obviously it’s my home track, but you know the Grand Prix and World Cup tracks are never going to be like they are in the league when they are grippier. “We will have a small advantage, but I’m sure it will be a slick track and I’m just looking forward to the practice on the Friday. We’ll have to go down there and see how it is. “But the most important thing is the team spirit and I’m sure we’ll get that working again on Saturday. We’ll go to Gorzow on the Thursday, have a bit of lunch; then we might go and watch the Race-Off meeting together.” SWC EVENT ONE SCORES: Denmark 50: 1 Nicki Pedersen 10, 2 Bjarne Pedersen 12, 3 Kenneth Bjerre 11, 4 Niels-Kristian Iversen 5, 5 Mads Korneliussen 12. Sweden 48: 1 Andreas Jonsson 11, 2 Freddie Lindgren 10, 3 Antonio Lindback 12, 4 Jonas Davidsson 8, 5 Thomas H Jonasson 7. Australia 47: 1 Jason Crump 11, 2 Darcy Ward 13, 3 Troy Batchelor 4, 4 Rory Schlein 5, 5 Chris Holder 14. Germany 9: 1 Kevin Wolbert 2, 2 Max Dilger 4, 3 Tobias Busch 1, 4 Mathias Schultz 2, 5 Tobias Kroner 0.
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