27-year-old Swede, Jacob Thorssell is first reserve for the SEC 2021. However, Frenchman David Bellego broke his collarbone just before the first Round in Bydgoszcz meaning that the Swede has now taken part in the first three Rounds of the competition.
“It was one of my aims for 2021 to qualify for the SEC,” he says, “so it has been really special to be part of one these bigger international competitions. As reserve, I only find out late that I’m in the lineup, but it does not make that much difference as I’m usually in Poland with Opole at the weekends”.
Thorssell has been racing in Poland for a number of years now and decided to join Opole in 2. Liga Żużlowa when the U24 regulation came in making it harder to get a League 1 contract for 2021. And it is going really well so far – Opole are top of the league and Thorssell is the league’s highest scorer with an impressive 2.458 average.
Back in Sweden, he is the double national champion and is racing again with Dackarna in Elitserien. Things are going well with theMålilla club and he is the league’s second-best scoring Swede, with a 2.100 average.
But success in the Swedish and Polish league has not automatically translated to success at the European Championship.
“Bydgoszcz is a track I have not really raced on much before. It took me a long time to find the right lines. But I was pleased that I got better as the round went on,” he says, reflecting on the 1st Round where he scored 5 pts, coming in 11th place.
“I think I’ve only raced once at Güstrow before, but apart from my first heat I’m really pleased with my 9 points.” That placed the Swede in 7th place, only one position from going into the race off for the final, “After Germany, I thought, “my aim is 7th, 8th or 9th place and with a good result in Rybnik, I still think that is possible.
The 27-year-old had raced for Gdansk in League 1 for two years and was looking forward to returning to his old track for round 3. However, it was not the dream appearance he had hoped for,
“The track was completely different to how it was before, so I had the wrong bike with me. It got a bit better after a change but, to be honest, I’m not really over how it went, it was really hard to overtake,” he says disappointedly. The Swede scored just 4 points placing him at 14th.
