Speedway: Brother's backing for Holder title quest (From Bournemouth Echo)

Speedway: Brother's backing for Holder title quest

7:00am Saturday 8th September 2012 in Sport By Ian Wadley

JAMES Holder has urged younger brother Chris to seize his world championship chance – because he may never get a better opportunity.

Holder junior, one point adrift of reigning king Greg Hancock, has been installed as the title favourite ahead of today’s Scandinavian Grand Prix.

Pirates captain Holder propelled himself to within touching distance of Hancock with a supreme performance in Cardiff last time out.

The 24-year-old has a big shot at claiming the coveted gold medal with three rounds remaining – the last of which is at Torun, his home track in Poland.

Plymouth rider James Holder, 26, is backing his sibling to rule the world. He told the Daily Echo: “I know he can do it.

“It is just a matter of him knowing he can do it and taking it seriously because I don’t think he will get a better chance than the situation he is in at the moment.

“He has got to take what he can get when he can get it.

“I think he is just a bit more consistent because he is taking it more seriously than he has done in the past.

“As long as he can keep doing that and having fun, that is the main thing.”

Holder is by far the least experienced rider in the title mix – with series leader Hancock also being chased by multiple world champions Nicki Pedersen and Jason Crump.

His brother is hoping he can keep a cool head in the heat of battle.

“He shows that it doesn’t get to him,” added James Holder. “I think it does but he shows in a good way that it doesn’t.

“If he was any more laid back, he would probably fall over.

“We have been on bikes for a long time but nothing has changed. He has always been the same. Even with the success he has had in the past few years, he hasn’t changed one bit.”

James Holder was at the Millennium Stadium to see his brother secure an imperious victory.

But he will have to make do with watching on television today as he has riding commitments with Plymouth.

The rest of the Holder family will be doing the same Down Under.

“They get up first thing in the morning to watch every round,” added James.