Holder's speedway odyssey continues in Poland.

Reigning Australian junior speedway champion Chris Holder's play on the corresponding world title will continue when he saddles up for semi-final action in Poland on June 18.

Holder was a revelation in his qualifying round on May 22, and has now been balloted in what is unquestionably the weaker of the two semi-finals, with the top eight from each to go through to the Austrian-hosted decider on September 17.

Holder's semi-final, which will be held in Tarnow, contains just two riders who competed in the 2004 final - Swedish duo Jonas Davidson and Fredrik Lindgren - while the other semi, to be held on the same day in Italy, is bursting at the seams with talent - including Dane Kenneth Bjerre, Adrian Miedzinski, and world open speedway campaigner Antonio Lindback.

Bjerre was second in last year's junior final behind Poland's Robert Miskowiak, while Miedzinski and Lindback were sixth and seventh. Australian Rory Schlein was fourth in that final, but his designs on this year's championship were quashed after he suffered a season-ending broken back in a British league match on May 23. A day earlier, Schlien easily made it through to the semi-finals of the world title in the same qualifying round as Holder.

Ironically, the rider Schlien collided with in that Elite League match, his Coventry teammate Morten Risager, will be in the same semi-final as Holder this Saturday, where he is expected to be one of the leading lights alongside Polish firebrand Pawel Hlib.

As for Holder, the outing will again be another chance for the Appin-based rider to impress on the international stage after his heroics on May 22. Since that tremendous effort - he finished the qualifier in sixth - Holder has returned to Australia for more intensive training, which he hopes will hold him in good stead in Poland - a country where speedway is revered and the competition is always tough.

The 17-year-old won't have too long for the nerves to take a hold though, as he's been balloted #1 for the meeting, which will see him compete in the opening heat.

If Holder makes it through to the final, he'll be in the running to become the 18th world junior champion, and the third Australian after Leigh Adams 1992) and Jason Crump (1995).