Grand Prix star Nicki Pedersen will ride for Eastbourne Eagles again next year.

Former world champion Pedersen has ended speculation about his future by agreeing a new one-year deal with the Sussex club.

And former Arlington favourite Mark Loram is lined up to replace Pedersen when he is involved in world championship meetings.

Eastbourne boss Jon Cook said: "I'm delighted that Nicki is coming back. It's great news for the club. He is a fantastic rider."

Cook paid tribute to Pedersen. "We don't have a main sponsor at this time, and during my negotiations with Nicki the one thing that came through was that he wanted to ride for Eastbourne.

"Speedway has a freedom of movement policy. Nicki could have gone anywhere to ride, but he chose to stay at Eastbourne. It's the sort of commitment I want from my riders.

"Last season I felt one or two riders put the club second to their own interests, but that was something you could never say about Nicki."

Eastbourne will continue to stage home meetings on Saturday with an option to run on Friday nights.

Cook explained: "We will have to decide whether to run against the Grand Prix events on Saturday nights or switch to Fridays. We won't be running on Saturday afternoons any more to avoid the Grand Prix meetings. That didn't work."

Providing Pedersen is top of the team averages, Eagles will be allowed to bring in a guest rider to take Pedersen's place when he is involved in Grand Prix meetings.

Cook has agreed a deal with Loram, another former world champion, who will again be riding for Arena Essex but will not be in next year's Grand Prix series, to replace Pedersen.

The Eastbourne team for next year is currently taking shape following last week's promoters conference which set a points limit of 42.5, excluding bonus and double points, for the 2005 Elite League season.

Pedersen will be joined by Adam Shields, who will be in the second year of a two-year contract, while the club are currently involved in talks with skipper David Norris.

Cook said: "I am looking at every position in the team, but I think we will end up with a side which is both cost-effective and successful."

Among the riders currently in the shake-up are Dean Barker, Joonas Kylmakorpi, Roman Povazhny, Sergei Darkin and Stefan Andersson, all of whom are Eastbourne assets and have said they want to ride in the Elite League next year.

Eagles are also keen to sign Andrew Moore from Sheffield after he made a big impression when he appeared for Eastbourne last season.

One of the main changes to come out of the conference is that teams will not be able to use tactical substitutes, the so-called 'joker' rule, unless they are at least nine points behind.

Eastbourne have been drawn against Peterborough in the second round of the Knockout Cup.