Mark Loram upped his world title bid by coming third in Saturday's Polish Grand Prix in Bydgoszcz.

The Eastbourne Eagles' No. 1 rode superbly to finish behind Poland's Tomasz Gollob and Tony Rickardsson and ahead of Jason Crump in the final.

Loram, who was world champion two years ago, now heads for the British Grand Prix at Cardiff in two weeks in confident mood.

His Poland finish lifts him to joint fifth in the Grand Prix standings after two rounds.

Defending champion Rickardsson leads with 45 points, followed by Ryan Sullivan on 33, Crump and Gollob with 32 and Loram and Leigh Adams on 26.

Loram won two races and was second twice on his way to the semi-finals, where he again finished second.

Eastbourne will have two riders in the British Grand Prix. Skipper Joe Screen has been given a wild card.

Semi-finals: Gollob, Loram, Sullivan, Rune Holta. Rickardsson, Crump, Adams, Billy Hamill. Final: Gollob, Rickardsson, Loram, Crump.

Stefan Andersson hopes of progressing towards the Grand Prix were wrecked by injury in the world championship qualifier in Sweden.