Before the last round of Speedway Euro Championship, Antonio Lindbaeck was the cycle's leader and it seemed like he was about to take the title at the well-known track in Rybnik. Everything went the wrong way though.
Started quite indolently. One of the favourites for gold of the European Championship, Antonio Lindbaeck did not have a good start of inaugural round in Güstrow. After four starts, Toninho had only 5 points and it looked like nothing could help him on this day.
Meanwhile, in the last heat of the main serious, he got the precious win, that gave him sixth position - last one promoting to the race-off heat. However, he did not reach the final, but still he was in the game with 8 points he gathered.
In Daugavpils, despite getting 7 points, he was only 10th. Actually, it was quite average Lindbaeck's performance to be honest. Swede won only one heat at it was from the first gate. In all others, didn't show a park that got its reflection in his total points. Never though, at the middle of rivalry for gold, Lindbaeck was losing only three points to the leader.
Definitely, the best round in this series took place in Russian Togliatti. >From the very beginning, it was clear, he found the right setup for this track and got promotion to the final from first position. There, he got himself overtaken by local hero, Grigorij Laguta, who got the second win in a row. However, Swede was in a good mood, because right before the great final in Rybnik, he found himself on the leader's position.
What brought luck in Güstrow, got it back in Rybnik. Despite his win in the last series, Lindbaeck ended as 7th and that meant series is done for him. After 20 heats, there were five riders with 37 points. Starting gates were drawn for additional heat giving the promotion to SEC 2017.
Lindbeack, who had been dressed up for a while back then, put his kevlar back on, but at the end of the day failed in this heat. He got defeated by Grigorij Laguta and Leon Madsen that took him out of the series.
