TROY Batchelor will not let the heartbreak of narrowly missing out on a place in the 2013 Grand Prix series knock his confidence as the Robins’ Elite League title challenge hots up.

The Australian led Saturday’s Grand Prix Challenge in Croatia before eventually missing out on one of the three world championship places on offer during a series of run-offs after five riders were locked on 10 points.

But he bounced back in style to score 13+1 in the Robins’ huge 55-35 semi-final first-leg win at Birmingham on Monday night, and Batchelor is determined to focus on the positives rather than dwell on his GP disappointment.

“I always believe in myself, and if you don’t there is no point in racing,” he said.

“I have mixed it up in the World Cup before and I have done well, and I mix it in Poland every weekend with the best riders and I have done it there too.

“I am out there to win every time and I never want to come second, and I feel confident in the way I am riding.

“Every year I am getting a better base and I feel like I improve on my gating, passing and focus, and there is still a lot of time for me.

“I know I will be there one day, because I only turned 25 the other day and you look at some of the guys at the top of the Grand Prix and they are pushing 40 and winning championships.

“But the most important thing now is winning the Elite League for Swindon, and that is what I will focus on now.”

Despite eventually being edged out by Lukas Dryml and Leon Madsen in the GP Challenge run-offs, Batchelor was proud of the way he performed.

“I had a pretty good night and I was really happy with the way I rode there, and I threw a few elbows and made some good starts and did what I have been doing all year,” he said.

“I did what I wanted to do, but five riders finishing on 10 points was really tough. Everyone was stealing points off each other, and if I had two gate ones instead of two gate threes then I think it might have been a different story.

“But shoulda woulda coulda, and I have to move on. My bike packed up in one of the race-offs and the spare didn’t cut it in the next one, and at the end of the day I am proud of my efforts.”