Eastbourne Eagles star Mark Loram is set to rule himself out of riding for Great Britain in next month's World Cup tournament in Denmark.

The news, which will rock British speedway, means Great Britain will go into the event without their best rider.

Loram, who makes his track comeback in tomorrow night's Slovenian Grand Prix, said: "I have had a rough season and I am not prepared to take any unnecessary risks."

The former world champion, who has not ridden since breaking his left arm in two places in a crash at Arlington on Good Friday, hit out at the World Cup format which includes five riders in a race.

"I don't agree with it and I never had. It's dangerous.

"They pluck these tracks, which stage normal speedway the rest of the time, out of the sky, put an air tent round the outside and think it's all right.

"I'd say there are less than half a dozen tracks in the world where you can put five riders on the start line safely and Vojens isn't one of them.

"You are going to have five riders all going for the same spot on the track."

He added: "I don't want to let anyone down but after the season I've had I'd rather not put myself in that position. If people don't understand that, then I can't help it."

Great Britain already faced an uphill task to reach the final in Denmark on August 9 after being drawn against holders Australia, the USA and Slovenia.

Only the winners are guaranteed a place, while the runners-up have to go into a race-off with the two highest scoring third-placed teams from the three qualifying events, which begin six days earlier.

The five-rider races come into play in the race-off at the Outrup track and in the final in Vojens.

Loram plans to make his return to English speedway for Eastbourne in next Wednesday's Elite League clash away to table-toppers Poole.

His intended trip to Poland last weekend was aborted at the last minute when his Polish club, Bydgoszcz, opted to go without him. Instead he practised behind closed doors at Arlington.

"It put a spanner in the works when they decided they didn't want me in Poland but Arlington was great. It went okay, but the arm still hurts."

Having missed the first four Grand Prix meetings, Loram has no chance of making up the ground on world championship leader Tony Rickardsson.

He regards tomorrow's event at Krsko, where he will start outside the main event, as a stepping stone to getting back to full race fitness.

If he emerges unscathed, then he could ride in Poland on Sunday and in Sweden on Tuesday before linking up with Eastbourne and new signing Nicki Pedersen at Poole.

Wednesday's match is the first of four in six days for Eagles as they bid to regain a play-off place after being de-posed by Wolverhampton.

The visit to Poole is followed by Peterborough away on Friday, Wolves at home on the Saturday and Oxford away the following Monday.

The Sussex club must decide this weekend which of their top riders they will drop to make way for Pedersen.

Eastbourne cannot keep skipper Joe Screen, Dean Barker and David Norris in their line-up with Pedersen and Loram because of league restrictions on averages.

Loram said: "I don't know what's happening with the team. I can't get involved in that."

I understand one option be-ing considered is putting one of the riders out on a short-term loan, which would mean he could be recalled after 28 days.

Several clubs are believed to have made inquiries for two of the riders whose places are under threat.