<I>Crash.net</I> preview - Grand Prix of Europe.

The 2003 speedway world championship series gets underway with the staging of the Grand Prix of Europe in the Slaski Stadium, Chorzow, Poland tomorrow [Saturday] night. Two dozen kevlar-suited racers with itchy throttle hands and each one desperate to be crowned World Champion.

Chorzow is the first of nine GPs to be held through to October at locations around Europe. Reigning champion Tony Rickardsson sets off on a quest to equal the great Ivan Mangers' record of six world individual championship titles and is a warm favourite to do just that. Rickardsson is without doubt the finest speedway rider in the world and at the peak of his powers, always capable of pulling out that bit extra on the biggest stage of all.

He's in sublime domestic form for Poole and seemingly in great shape for Poland but incredibly considers himself lucky when commenting: "I've been lucky to win titles but you need to be lucky. I never heard about an unlucky World Champion".

But don't count out Jason Crump. Runner-up to Rickardsson in 2002, the Australian is considered by most to be the main pretender to the throne and the leader of the chasing pack. Compatriot Leigh Adams will also be a serious threat as he was for much of last season.

World number three Ryan Sullivan, unlucky with injuries when strongly challenging for the title in 2002, could see his chances ruined by a broken collarbone sustained in a track crash in Sweden but the determined and focussed Aussie takes his place ready to grit his teeth and put up with the pain.

Sullivan isn't the only big name to have problems. Mark Loram, the 2000 champion, collected a bad elbow injury a few weeks ago and is still to fully recover. He is to leave his decision to participate to the very last minute and said about his chances: "I'm going all out trying to make it. It's feeling better but it's unfair to say 100 per cent, but I'm certainly going to try."

And the fast-rising talent of Andres Jonsson will be absent on Saturday after he too broke a collarbone last weekend. His place in Chorzow will be filled by countryman Peter Karlsson. Jonsson was strongly fancied as a live outsider but sees his hopes dashed before a wheel has been turned.

Other contenders will include the 1997 champion Greg Hancock but he'll be missing fellow American and former champion Billy Hamill who caused a shock by withdrawing from the GP Series and now insists he has no reservations about his decision. Hamill said: "I have no reservations whatsoever but it may be different when I actually watch the Grand Prix meetings, I wonder how I'll feel."

Don't discount the enigmatic talent of Poland's Thomasz Gollob, especially on home territory while names such as Lukas Dryml, Nicki Pedersen, Scott Nicholls and Lee Richardson are not exactly back-numbers only there for fun.

Mauger won his sixth title in the Slaski stadium way back in 1979. Will Rickardsson start towards his sixth at the same venue come Saturday night - an omen perhaps, well he is "lucky"!