PLYMOUTH Gladiators heat leader Richie Worrall missed out on reaching the Speedway European Championship Challenge after scoring eight points in his qualifier in tough conditions at Terenzano in Italy on Tuesday afternoon.

Worrall was well in contention for a top-four finish when he picked up an encouraging six points from his first three rides, including a heat victory.

But third places in both of his last two outings left him two points adrift of the qualifying berths.

They went to Pole Grzegorz Zengota, who registered a 15-point maximum, with second place taken by Czech representative Jan Kvech on 14, followed by German Martin Smolinski and Dane Mads Hansen on 11 and 10 points respectively.

Worrall's fellow Brit Tom Brennan just missed out on nine points, which included an exclusion in one heat.

A second qualifier in Daugavpils on Saturday features Worrall's brother Steve and his GB team-mate Adam Ellis.

Worrall also represented GB last weekend in the European Team Championship final, scoring two points as GB won a bronze medal, coming third on 22 points behind Poland on 49 and Denmark on 35, with Germany back in fourth on 14.

Another Gladiator, Dan Gilkes, the nominated under-21 reserve, did not ride.