FREDDIE Lindgren took the honours in a Swedish Grand Prix full of surprises, but Chris Holder’s smile would have been widest.

Pirates might be thankful for their away-leg lead when Lindgren and Wolves roll into Dorset in the Knockout Cup on Wednesday, for this result could be just the kick up the behind ‘Fast Freddie’ needed after a poor start to 2012.

In this most open of world championship seasons, Lindgren went from two last places at his second home in the Midlands on Monday to a maiden Grand Prix triumph five days later.

Whatever next? A first world championship title for Holder? Well, maybe...

Holder might have missed out on winning properly in Gothenburg after his victory by default due to rain last year, but his name at the top of the leader board following heat 23 kept him well and truly in the hunt for the world crown.

In contrast to Lindgren, who scraped into the semi-finals on seven points from qualifying, Holder was in cruise control during his opening five rides where he amassed 12 points – with only Nicki Pedersen (14) looking quicker and more determined to make an impact.

Starting his night from an unproductive gate three in race four, Holder showed his early intentions by charging around the outside of former Pirates number one Bjarne Pedersen on turn one of lap two.

Holder couldn’t get the better of heat winner Jason Crump, but the two Aussies were miles in front of Pedersen and Hans Andersen.

Reigning Australian champion Holder continued his consistent start to the meeting by notching a second consecutive two-point finish in race eight.

This time it was Greg Hancock on the receiving end of Holder’s class out in the dirt, the 24-year-old swooping around the American on the final turn of the final lap after finding himself in third spot away from the tapes.

And Holder made it six points from three rides immediately in race nine, with the Sydneysider scorching up the inside of home favourite Andreas Jonsson as the riders started the second lap.

In heat 15, Holder made his first real gate of the night, making his jet-propelled getaway count by way of a first race win as an out-of-shape Peter Ljung provided the entertainment behind him.

It was déjà vu in race 18, although this time Holder had to perform his heroics twice.

Having come out of turn one in front, Holder was forced to do it all again after wild card Thomas H Jonasson had fallen.

But do it all again he did – and in truly spectacular style.

Having charged around the outside into second place in the re-run, Holder set his sights on the out-of-sorts Tomasz Gollob.

Gollob would have felt Holder’s breath on the back of his neck, before finally succumbing to the pressure and watching his younger rival swept past into the lead.

That win left Holder on 12 points and handed him first pick of gates in the second semi-final against Lindgren, Emil Sayfutdinov and Jonsson.

The Aussie opted for gate two and backed up his choice with a sensational start to lead from start to finish, with likely final rival Nicki Pedersen excluded from semi-final one for wiping out wild card Jonasson.

It was gate two for Holder again in the final, but after a poor getaway, he could only watch as Lindgren did battle with Hancock out front, the Swede holding on to win on home soil.

A sweeping move around the fence almost lifted Holder one step higher on the podium, but Hancock did just enough to hold on with the photo on the line handing second to the American by the width of a tyre.

Standings (top-10): 1 Greg Hancock 58, 2 Nicki Pedersen 56, 3 Jason Crump 55, 4 Chris Holder 52, 5 Tomasz Gollob 49, 6 Jarek Hampel 46, 7 Emil Sayfutdinov 37, 8 Freddie Lindgren 37, 9 Antonio Lindback 31, 10 Andreas Jonsson 30.