DOYLE CALLS ON AUSSIES’ NEXT GENERATION

Speedway GP star Jason Doyle says it’s time for his country’s next generation of stars to shine after announcing his retirement from the Australian side.

Doyle was part of the Aussie trio that ended the country’s 20-year wait for a world team title when they lifted the FIM Speedway of Nations trophy in Vojens, Denmark on July 30.

Since making his FIM Speedway World Cup debut in 2013, Doyle has been Australia’s strongest performer over the last decade, helping the team to two FIM SWC bronze medals in 2013 and 2014, as well as a third-place finish in the 2019 FIM SON Final in Togliatti.

While Doyle did not compete in the FIM SON Final this year, with Jack Holder and Max Fricke teaming up on the track to bring home the gold, the Newcastle-born star did score six points in their Semi-Final 1 victory and remained a key sounding board in the pits.

After that historic triumph in Denmark, Doyle says he is now passing the baton on to the next generation of stars ahead of the FIM SWC’s return in Wroclaw from July 25-29.

The Krosno, Ipswich and Indianerna man said: “I have announced that I am going to retire from the Australian team for the SON and SWC and just concentrate on the GPs, myself and my league racing. Hopefully the young boys are coming through in the Australian team and they can do well.

“I told Lemo (Aussie team manager Mark Lemon) after the SON that we had won a world title, and I think it’s time for the young kids to come through and they can bring the likes of Brady Kurtz, Rohan Tungate and whoever is going well at the time to Wroclaw for the SWC.”

With four senior riders and one under-21 required for the FIM SWC side, Doyle’s departure comes as a blow to Lemon, as they bid to wrestle the Ove Fundin Trophy away from hosts and holders Poland, who won the last edition of the tournament in Leszno in 2017.

Some will suggest Doyle’s limited role in Vojens may have played a role in his call to stand down. Asked if he felt any soreness over watching the SON Final from trackside, he admitted: “You are not going to lie and say there wasn’t any soreness – not being on the bike and riding for your country in the Final.

“But we won a world title and I played my part – I just didn’t play a part in the Final to get the gold medal. There are no hard feelings. I just think it’s time to see Jack, Max, Brady and the younger boys come through and ride in these events.

“I am very proud to have ridden for Australia for the last 10 years. Now it’s time for the young boys to come through.

“Lemo is now a world champion, so he knows how to pick good teams. He will know how to find the right riders that are firing at the right time for Wroclaw. He will do a great job and I have good expectations for the young kids to come through and do very well in the World Cup.”