
Don’t call it a comeback. A comeback implies Chris Holder went somewhere, that he disappeared, and he didn’t. He raced a full season last year, and the year before. Physically, he has never gone anywhere.
Mentally, though, he did disappear. He wasn’t the same Chris Holder that swept through the field like a hurricane to win the world title back in 2012, or the same Chris Holder you used to see in the paddock, an illuminating smile never far from the surface.
Now, finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Genuine, beaming rays of light that look set to shine on Holder in 2018 because the ‘real’ him is back. Back fitter, back stronger, back leaner and back in love with the sport that he has dedicated his life to.
“It’s been a good start to 2018 so far, everything feels sweet and I’m in a much better place than I was last year. The winter was tough but it was the same sort of stuff that I went through last year so I was in a much better place to deal with it and now I’m good.
“I don’t really stress about anything I can’t control so I’ve been focusing on speedway and putting everything into making sure everything is how I like it and being better organised.”
Chris was speaking after his second race of the season, where he showed glimpses of his best form racing for the Monster Energy Team in the second round of the 2018 Speedway Best Pairs Championship.
A strong showing followed a top-score for his Polish club KS Torun in the league a week previously, signalling a fresh start for a man who truly deserves one.