EUROS 2016: Whetton dominant in Juniors
Brandon Whetton dropped just two points to deservedly take the win in the 2016 European Junior Final on Sunday.
On 15 points going into the final heat, the Wednesfield youngster knew a second place in his final outing would guarantee him victory, and he duly obliged, sitting behind Jake Neighbour to claim his first international title.
After agonisingly losing out on the world title with a tapes exclusion in his final ride last year, this will vindicate his ability as one of, if not the, top junior in Cycle Speedway.
Brandon Whetton leads in the 2016 European Junior Final. Photo by Graham Robins.
Neighbour will be well pleased with his runners up spot, but will look back on heat fourteen as the race which possibly cost him the title, after finishing in fourth from his gate four.
Unbeaten after two heats and still joint leader after three, the Swindon youngster was one of just three riders to win more than two races, alongside Whetton and Mateusz Pacek.
Lee Kemp was able to claim third after an exciting run off against Adam Watson, with the Wednesfield youngster diving and passing Mateus Radomski in his final race to set up what he thought would be a run off for second, only for Watson to fly up the inside of both of them and put himself into rostrum contention.
Despite making up over half the field, the Polish contingent struggled on the fast Poole circuit, although were it not for a first race exclusion, Pacek would have likely forced his way onto the podium, whilst Radomski was one of the early pace setters and one of the two to beat Whetton, but faded towards the end of the meeting.
2016 European Junior Championships podium. Photo by Graham Robins.
Scores:
Brandon Whetton 18, Jake Neighbour 17, Lee Kemp 15, Adam Watson 15, Carl Parfitt 14, Mateusz Pacek 14, Mikolaj Reszelewski 14, Mateusz Radomski 13, Jay Briggs 13, Bartosz Wojtol 11, Patryk Katarzynski 11, Jakub Kosciecha 11, Ben Tinsdale 9, Szymon Porozynski 9, Maciej Stefanski 8, Jacub Kus 7