BIRKEMOSE EYES SOLID SCORING BEFORE SGP STEP-UP

Danish teenager Marcus Birkemose says he would love to make it into the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series, but is determined to deliver consistent scores in Europe’s top leagues first.

The 17-year-old impressed on his Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations debut in Lublin in October, scoring five points from two rides as Denmark bagged bronze – their first world senior team medal since 2015.

Birkemose is eligible to represent his country as an under-21 rider for the next four years and is rapidly emerging as one of the sport’s most promising talents. It would be no surprise to see him on the SGP stage in the years to come, and Birkemose would love to be a World Championship regular one day. But he’s determined to get there when he can pile up the points consistently.

He said: “That’s the main thing in speedway – to get into the GPs and get your name on the list. Of course my goal is to be on top of the podium in the World Championship, but my goal is also to be stable.

“I want to score good points in all the leagues and not have ups and downs. Hopefully I can do that when I am older and have a bit more experience.”

Birkemose is part of the Gorzow squad in Poland’s PGE Ekstraliga, although he was loaned to Second Division side Poznan to continue his development this year.

He admits he would be interested in gaining some experience in the British leagues when he is older, although Polish restrictions limiting Ekstraliga riders to racing in just one other national league may prevent this.

The European Under-21 champion said: “Of course I would like to ride in Britain, but I think it would be too much for me when I am already riding in Denmark and Poland if I have to go to Britain every Monday and Thursday. Maybe in about two or three years, I would like to go to Britain.

"When I am only this young, the travel would be way too much and make things way too stressful.”

Photo: Taylor Lanning