SCOTT Nicholls will strap himself up to take part in tomorrow night's televised Swedish Grand Prix in the Olympic Stadium, Stockholm looking to get his testimonial season off the ground.

By Elvin King

SCOTT Nicholls will strap himself up to take part in tomorrow night's televised Swedish Grand Prix in the Olympic Stadium, Stockholm looking to get his testimonial season off the ground.

The Ipswich Evening Star Witches skipper suffered a painful burn to his left leg during a fall at Foxhall Stadium last Saturday and admits that he is not 100 per cent fit.

He has been warned after receiving treatment at Ipswich Hospital that he may need a skin graft which would almost certainly rule him out of a number of Ipswich meetings.

“I have been pleased to have a week off,” said the rider who will be 26 next month. “I will have to adjust my knee pads so that they do not interfere with my injury and will give it my best go. I will be doing the best I can.

“I need to find out more about what is involved with the skin graft and at the moment I don't know what to do, but it isn't looking good.”

Nicholls has not ridden at this track before as he was injured two years ago and last season the meeting was switched because of a strike.

He has taken three bikes with him to Sweden and added: “It is a man-made track, and they can be difficult. I have to be disappointed with my early season form but things have got better.

“I have probably expected too much from myself and have also been trying some new set-ups. I found it difficult to relax.”

“One day I plan to be world champion, but it has not got to be this year. To win a Grand Prix would be step forward.

“Tony Rickardsson, Nicki Pedersen, Jason Crump, Leigh Adams and Ryan Sullivan look to be the biggest threats again, but some of the younger riders will make more of an impact.”

Nicholls, who will wear the number seven race jacket after his efforts last year, expects his two Witches team mates to do well.

He said: “Hans Andersen found his international feet last season while Jesper B Jensen has quite a lot of experience at this level.”

Dane Andersen was boosted by a major win in a Swedish individual meeting on Tuesday, and he said today: “My main goal is a top ten overall finish, and I feel in positive mood.

“Last season I reached two semi-finals, but then received two poor gate positions so it would be nice to reach a couple of finals this time. I am happy with my equipment.”

Andersen revealed that he is likely to miss Ipswich's home league match against Peterborough on June 10 having suffered a fall at Foxhall Stadium two days before last year's British GP at Cardiff.

“I crushed two knuckles and missed the next three GP's including the Millennium Stadium,” said Andersen. “Like most riders I am superstitious and think I will give the Peterborough match a miss as it is two days before the 2004 British GP.”

Witches assets Tony Rickardsson, Tomasz Gollob and Jarek Hampel all ride in Sweden with Rickardsson and Crump 5-2 joint favourites and Sullivan and Adams both at 13-2. Current champion Pedersen is 10-1 with Mikael Max and Greg Hancock 16-1 and Gollob and Nicholls both 20-1.