2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix rider numbers revealed as Sayfutdinov gives No.89 its World Championship debut

Courtesy of FIM Speedway Grand Prix

SGP 2017 RIDER NUMBERS REVEALED

The 2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix rider numbers have been revealed as Russian racer Emil Sayfutdinov wears No.89 in the World Championship for the first time. The Salavat-born star selected No.89 when personal rider numbers were introduced for the 2014 season. He never got the chance to wear it in the SGP series after withdrawing from the competition, but the double European and World Under-21 champion is back for 2017 after receiving a wild card pick from the SGP Commission. GP Challenge winner Patryk Dudek has picked No.692 for his first SGP season after being unable to choose the No.69 he prefers to race with, as this is held by Aussie icon Jason Doyle. Slovak star Martin Vaculik selected his No.54, while triple world champion Nicki Pedersen switches from No.3 to No.12 – his new ranking for 2017 – after opting not to race with a personal number once again. The rest of the riders retain their 2016 numbers with four-time world champion Greg Hancock wearing No.45 – his hero Bruce Penhall’s former number – while Great Britain racer Tai Woffinden is No.108, which represents his birthday. Bartosz Zmarzlik dons No.95 and Chris Holder keeps No.23. Doyle sticks with No.69, while Piotr Pawlicki races with No.777 and Antonio Lindback is No.85 – his year of birth. Niels-Kristian Iversen retains No.88 and Matej Zagar is No.55. Maciej Janowski keeps faith with No.71 and Fredrik Lindgren is No.66. First series reserve Peter Kildemand rides with No.25, while Martin Smolinski dons No.84 and World Under-21 champion Max Fricke has chosen No.46 for his first appearance on the SGP reserves list. 2017 FIM SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX RIDER NUMBERS (in ranking order): 45 Greg Hancock (USA) 108 Tai Woffinden (Great Britain) 95 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland) 23 Chris Holder (Australia) 69 Jason Doyle (Australia) 777 Piotr Pawlicki (Poland) 85 Antonio Lindback (Sweden) 88 Niels-Kristian Iversen (Denmark) 55 Matej Zagar (Slovenia) 71 Maciej Janowski (Poland) 66 Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden) 12 Nicki Pedersen (Denmark) 692 Patryk Dudek (Poland) 54 Martin Vaculik (Slovakia) 89 Emil Sayfutdinov (Russia) SUBSTITUTES 25 Peter Kildemand (Denmark) 84 Martin Smolinski (Germany) 46 Max Fricke (Australia)

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