Wednesday 12th September 2012, 10:50

Australian icon Jason Crump is backing Chris Holder to lift his maiden SGP title at Torun on October 6 and said “I’d be very proud to see him crowned world champion.”

Crump left the FIM Scandinavian SGP with eight points on Saturday after tailing Holder, Tomasz Gollob and Freddie Lindgren in the second semi-final. He is now fifth in the World Championship on 111 points – 23 behind Malilla runner-up Holder.

The 37-year-old accepts his own title hopes are all but over, however he knows the sport’s biggest prize could still be on its way Down Under.

Crump has been proud to watch Holder’s development in the sport and would love to see him become Australia’s fifth world champion, following in the footsteps of Lionel van Praag, Bluey Wilkinson, two-time winner Jack Young and JC himself.

He said: “Looking at it realistically, I’m not riding well enough to be world champion. I’m probably not riding well enough to be in the top three.

“What Chris did at Cardiff really lifted him. He rode fantastically well in Malilla. Obviously Tomasz just pipped him in the final, but at the moment I think Chris is in the driving seat.

“It’s going to be great to see it because he’s a kid I’ve watched for a lot of years and I’d be very proud to see him crowned world champion. If he keeps doing what he’s doing, I think that’s what’s going to happen.”

Consistency is everything in the SGP title race and, while Holder has reached the medal rostrum five times this year, Crump admits he hasn’t been able to get into a winning rhythm.

Crump said: “I’m not consistent enough at the moment – I couldn’t get a handle on the title race. I was trying and I really wanted to, but unfortunately I’m just not quite riding well enough at the moment.

“If you look at what’s happening in the leagues, the World Cup and Grand Prix, Chris has been great.

“Apart from the first Grand Prix where his partner (Sealy) gave birth the day of the meeting and he had distractions and other things happening, Chris has been the most consistent and the best rider this year so far. I hope he continues.

"He’s in a great position and I know from experience that these positions don’t come up very often. When they come up, you have to grab them and I hope he makes the most of this opportunity.”

Crump went into the Scandinavian SGP on the back of a two-week break after tweaking his collarbone when he crashed in Cardiff on August 25. The Millennium Stadium spill was initially a real concern for the rider, who broke the bone in Vladivostok on July 19.

Tests confirmed he didn’t suffer any additional damage in the Welsh capital, though, and Crump says it didn’t really affect him in Sweden.

He said: “It’s just a bit of a niggly problem. As I’ve said before, collarbones aren’t a big problem – it’s just a niggly thing that’s there all the time.

“It’s not great, but it’s certainly not really affecting me. I don’t think I need more rest. I rested from Cardiff to Malilla, so that was good. Everything is okay.”

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