MARK Loram believes the Grand Prix series is Chris Holder ’s to lose and has backed the Pirates captain to claim his maiden world title.

Holder has an eight-point lead at the top of the standings going into tonight’s penultimate round in Vojens after a win in Cardiff and second place in Malilla two weeks ago propelled him in front of reigning champion Greg Hancock.

‘Loramski’ was the first Poole rider to win the world title when he claimed the crown on a glorious night in Bydgoszcz in 2000 and the 41-year-old Brit believes Holder has the mental strength to finish the job and follow in his illustrious tyre marks.

Loram told the Echo: “There are two more rounds to go and I think the stress level for Chris might go up a notch before the final round in Torun in two weeks’ time.

“I think he will probably go into this round as he always does and just enjoy it.

“I’m in the Chris Holder fan club like a lot of people and I think he will just take it in his stride like he always does.

“If he can win the world title at his age, it would be an incredible achievement.

“You have to be able to keep going and stay consistent throughout a long campaign and Chris has done that this year. To get to where he is now with a lead going into the final two meetings, I really think he has broken the back of it and it is his to lose now.

“In previous years, he has run out of steam in the second half of the series, but this year he is right in with a shout.”

Loram carried a slender four-point lead over Tony Rickardsson into the penultimate round in Vojens 12 years ago and held his nerve to extend his advantage over the Swede going into the final round in Bydgoszcz.

Rickardsson went on to claim back-to-back world titles while riding for Pirates in 2001 and 2002.

Loram added: “It is quite a small track at Vojens, which could suit Chris, but I really think he can ride anything. He scores points for all his clubs on all types of track.

“Greg Hancock won’t give up and you can’t count him out with the starts he makes, but I think the bulk of Chris’s work is done and, hopefully, the title will be his ||as long as he keeps doing what he does best.”

Holder’s Pirates team-mate Krzysztof Kasprzak, meanwhile, will be hoping to make a big impact once again when he lines up in Denmark tonight.

Kasprzak, the Grand Prix’s second reserve, replaces Martin Vaculik after the Slovakian was admitted to hospital with high blood pressure.

The Pole’s last Grand Prix outing was in Cardiff where he finished second behind winner Holder.

Standings: (top-five, two rounds to go) 1 Chris Holder 134, 2 Greg Hancock 126, 3 Nicki Pedersen 123, 4 Tomasz Gollob 114, 5 Jason Crump 111.