Klindt defends himself from storm

The 20-year-old insists he gave the club plenty of notice that he would not be at the track.

He claims he even tried desperately over the last few days to put together a flight plan only to find the logistics too great.

Klindt rides in the second leg of the Danish Final at Fjeldsted this evening while Wolves travel to Coventry (8pm).

But he was named in the side to face the Robins only for the club to announce yesterday morning that he had decided to rest instead. The match was then rained off in any event.

Wolves, while accepting that Klindt is fully entitled to be absent under the terms of British speedway's agreement with its Danish counterparts, expressed disappointment with the rider's decision and the timing.

But a devastated Klindt, speaking from Denmark, insisted that he had done everything above board.

He said: "They had my schedule before the year. I have in my agreement that I can have the day off. I told them a long time ago and I told them again on Monday."

The Danish Final is of crucial importance to Klindt. He stands equal fifth from the first leg knowing that a good performance could line him up for the wildcard spot in the Nordic Grand Prix at Vojens on August 29.

Even then he tried to put together a schedule so that he could ride at Blunsdon.

He said: "It's a very important meeting for me. Maybe if I do good I have a chance for the wildcard.

"I know that the Swindon match is a very important meeting for the club and I really wanted to do it.

"I even had a really big thought about going and I tried to figure something out. But I couldn't work it out."

Peterborough's big Danish contingent of riders got across to Britain, after their Wednesday night domestic league fixtures to ride for the Panthers at Ipswich last night.

But Klindt maintains their planning is simpler.

He said: "They can fly into Stansted in the afternoon and be out on the 9am flight.

"I would have to be up at 5am in Denmark to get a flight to Manchester, race and be home at one o'clock in the morning, then be up at 6am to get a flight back for lunchtime.

"If we were racing at Ipswich or Peterborough – no problem. It's not like I don't want to do it.

"From the point of view of the fans, I don't want to be the bad guy."

Coventry: 1 Chris Harris, 2 Filip Sitera, 3 Martin Smolinski, 4 Edward Kennett, 5 Olly Allen, 6 Ricky Wells, 7 Ben Barker.

Wolves: 1 Fredrik Lindgren, 2 rider-replacement for Nicolai Klindt, 3 Tai Woffinden, 4 Adam Skornicki, 5 Peter Karlsson, 6 Chris Kerr, 7 Lee Complin.