MAX LOOKS FORWARD

NEWS Wednesday 5th March 2014, 9:25pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

With Max Fricke back in the UK now, everyone wants to hear what his thoughts are for the new season.

It’s going to be a busy year but Max will again be going about things in a calm manner. Here’s what he had to say to us after a successful winter down under.

“Retaining the Under-21 was one of my goals back home this winter, and the other was to qualify for the Aussie titles. There’s always a good lineup in that and it was the first time I had qualified for them.

“To get in the top eight was really good. I went into the first meeting with that in mind and when I achieved a top eight finish that night, that kind of became my goal for the rest of the series, to try to stay in the top eight.

“I do try to set goals in my head, and of course retaining the Under-21 was another. There’s only a handful have managed to do that.”

He was very much a team man last year and enjoyed the team environment. This year he has two compatriots in the side and thinks Monarchs can do well again.

“I’ve got a busy year but Edinburgh is my main thing. “I think the team looks good, it has a good mix of new guys to the club as well as old faces.

“Aaron Fox is a new rider coming over for the first time as I was last year, it will be good to have him around and help him, and having Sedgy and Sam in the team is good for me, a couple of familiar faces. I’ve known them both pretty well back home and I get along with them.

“Derek’s a great team captain, he’s always very supportive and he plays an important role in the team.”

He doesn’t have a starting place in the Elite League but hopes one will come along. “I was looking a little bit into the Elite League towards the end of last season so it’s a little bit disappointing that the rule changes have made that harder this year. I hope I can be looking for a place in the main body of an Elite League team later on in the season. Craig Cook helped me to get some rides at Belle Vue last season and of course it’s great that he’s back in the team as he is such a great scorer.”

Unlike last year Max will contest the Under-21 qualifiers and he is also looking abroad for the foirst time. “I will have some outings in Denmark with Outrup this year which is very exciting, I’ll be having as many rides as I can get over there and seeing some new tracks. I’m also very happy to have signed with Torun, and I hope to make the most of these opportunities.

“I’m building a bike in Denmark and as the season progresses I’m hoping to build another. For the UK I have the same bikes as last year but I’ve freshened quite a few things up. I’m just working on them at the moment.”

This weekend Craig Cook will be the first Monarch to set wheel on track in Europe when he rides in the Ben Fund Bonanza, and one of Craig’s goals this year will be to make himself indispensable to Alun Rossiter in all competitions. He is track record holder at Leicester so it’s a good venue to start on.