Tomasz Bajerski: I am satisfied with the schedule (interview)

ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz, whose coach is Tomasz Bajerski, will once again fight for promotion to the PGE Ekstraliga. In a conversation with ekstraliga.pl, the current coach of Gryfów talks about preparations for the upcoming season in METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga.

Łukasz Rusiecki (ekstraliga.pl): We know the schedule for METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga. Is this year’s lineup favorable for ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz in terms of a successful start to the season?

Tomasz Bajerski (coach of ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz): The schedule is what it is, and I have no influence over it, so I fully accept it. We go classic – matches and rematches, in which we want to score as many points as possible to advance to the playoff phase. Ideally, if we could enter from the first place, where the fight for the PGE Ekstraliga will later begin. The schedule is fine with me, and I am fully satisfied with it, but everything will still be decided in the final part of the season.

The second and third rounds seem important in terms of psychological advantage and getting to know the opponent. Will sparrings be planned on tracks that somewhat resemble the opponents’ territories in the first rounds?

Since I have been in Bydgoszcz, I have always tried to do this. Before every away match, we went to a similar track, but if there wasn’t one, we trained on any foreign territory to not race on the home oval, as it wouldn’t make sense. As for the third match of the season, I think there is no fight for a psychological advantage in this case. We treat such confrontations as any other match in the season.

Is there a preliminary outline in the team regarding the preparation of the Bydgoszcz track to be an even greater ally for the home team than last year?

If we were to discuss with each rider individually on how to prepare the home track, a situation would likely arise where everyone would want the surface prepared differently. The coach or manager’s task is to prepare a surface that is consistent. Whether it is hard or grippy is a secondary issue. The most important aspect is its consistency. The track can be hard, soft, the start may be “scratched” or not, although it doesn’t play a major role because its consistency is the most important issue. Ahead of us is still the matter of rebuilding the linear drainage, so we will first have to wait for that to be completed.

Last year, Bartosz Nowak was loaned to H. SKRZYDLEWSKA ORZEŁ Łódź, for his last year in the youth category. Will this time this player get a chance to race in the main lineup?

At the moment, we have three youth riders – Bartosz Nowak, Kacper Andrzejewski, and Emil Maroszek, and they will be competing for a place in the main lineup for league matches. I can’t say who will make the lineup because it’s all in their hands, heads, and motorcycles, and most importantly, in their hearts. For me, the basic rule is that the best will always race.

So I understand that the newly acquired Kacper Andrzejewski does not have a guaranteed place in the lineup. Can Bydgoszcz fans, in turn, expect the gradual introduction of homegrown players into the lineup?

Definitely yes. If Emil Maroszek rides well, he will race in the METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga matches. If Kacper Andrzejewski or Bartosz Nowak are better than him, it will be them who race in the league. However, I think Emil Maroszek is just beginning his adventure in METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga, so he should calmly get accustomed and familiarized, so that in the future, he becomes a key youth rider for ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz.

Do you monitor the season preparations of your riders – I’m especially referring to the youth riders – and is there a planned team training camp closer to spring?

Yes, we are planning a few days camp in Żnin, as we do every year. As for monitoring, I think that’s the right word. I am well aware of how the guys are training, with whom, where, and in what groups they do it. I also have constant contact with the physical fitness trainers, so I am updated on all the information. I can see that the riders are indeed very engaged in the preparation process, so I am confident about their fitness preparation.

How much have these preparations changed since the time you were a youth rider? Do you see significant changes in the approach to winter preparations?

Winter preparations are conducted on the same principle. We know well what we need. We aren’t supposed to be “pumped up,” but agile and durable. Since my time, it has changed that currently, speedway riders in their spare time during the season continue to train, both in the gym, running, or riding motocross. When I was an active rider, after the winter break we ended physical training and focused exclusively on track activities.

Are there any potential transfers planned during the season, perhaps from U24 Ekstraliga, to secure the team in case of an injury to one of the primary lineup riders?

At the moment, there have been no discussions on this topic.

How do you evaluate the new format of playoffs? Will it increase the spectacle of the discipline, or might it promote the performance of the day but not necessarily the stronger teams in the context of the entire season?

As far as I remember, the playoff phase has always had its own rules. The form of the day, including physical, mental, and psychological strength, mattered, so I believe that since that’s how it is, we need to adapt. I am not here to evaluate this system because the most important matches are, as usual, the finals.

Łukasz Rusiecki