We are less than two weeks away from the start of the qualifications for the TAURON Speedway Euro Championship 2024. Thanks to the Golden Helmet Tournament, we now know the names of the Polish riders who will compete for places in this year's championship.
In Poland, the Golden Helmet Tournaments have been held since 1961, featuring the nation's top riders vying for spots in the FIM Speedway Grand Prix and TAURON Speedway Euro Championship qualifications.
The Polish Speedway National Team has announced the participation of the following riders in this year's Individual European Championship qualifiers: Mateusz Cierniak, Maciej Janowski, Piotr Pawlicki, Przemysław Pawlicki, and Kacper Woryna. Additionally, Jarosław Hampel has received a wild card for one of the qualifying rounds.
Among this group, Kacper Woryna boasts the most experience in the Individual European Championships, having competed in 17 rounds of the Speedway Euro Championship. Woryna's strong start to the 2024 season positions him as one of the favorites to advance to the SEC Challenge. Piotr Pawlicki has participated in four fewer tournaments than Woryna. His best result in the Individual European Championships was a fourth-place finish overall in 2021. Hampel has three seasons in the TAURON Speedway Euro Championship under his belt, with his standout achievement being a silver medal in 2018. Przemysław Pawlicki also brings significant experience to the Speedway Euro Championship series, having been a regular participant from 2015 to 2017, achieving his best result with a sixth-place finish in the final year. Maciej Janowski gained early experience in the series, participating regularly during the inaugural 2013 edition and finishing sixth overall. Mateusz Cierniak, a two-time winner of the Under-21 Individual World Championship, will also compete in the Individual European Championship. Although Cierniak was a reserve during the TAURON Speedway Euro Championship Grand Finale in Chorzów in 2019 and did not race, he has emerged as one of Poland's rising speedway stars in recent years, with this season marking his debut as a senior competitor.
The TAURON Speedway Euro Championship 2024 qualifying rounds will be held at tracks in Debrecen, Mureck, Stralsund, and Krsko. The top four from each round will qualify for the SEC Challenge, scheduled for May 12th in Daugavpils. The top eight from the series will advance to the final rounds.
