DAN Giffard will not be competing in the World Under-21 Qualifying rounds.

The Wildcats star has been overlooked despite finishing fifth in the British final at Rye House last weekend.

The top four from that event automatically qualify with British Under-21 manager Peter Oakes handed the job of nominating a further two riders.

But instead of picking the men who finished fifth and sixth in the national championship, Oakes has named James Wright and Tommy Allen, as Britain's other representative.

The controversial decision has incensed Giffard and his Weymouth team boss Brian White.

"I really can't believe it," explained White. "There are six places available in the world qualifiers for British riders and the first four from last Sunday's final go through by right. It was then down to Peter Oakes to choose two others and it was assumed that boys who finished fifth and sixth would get the nod.

"What he's done instead is pick Workington's James Wright and Rye House's Tommy Allen and I can tell you I'm not happy about it. James Wright I have no problem with because he was injured at the weekend and would have probably made the top four had he been riding. He's a great talent and the way he's ridden this year, he deserves his place.

"It's Tommy Allen I'm annoyed about although it's nothing personal towards the rider. The fact is though that he came about eighth at Rye House and Dan came in fifth. On top of that, Dan also beat him easily on the night.

"If you consider that and also the fact that Dan qualified for the final with a 15-point maximum in his heat, then surely he's the one who should be going in the world events, not Tommy Allen.

"I'm absolutely gutted for him and I think it's a very poor decision by Peter. This is Dan's last shot at under-21 glory and he's put everything in to it, including about £7,000 spent on his equipment. He also employed ex-World Longtrack champion Kelvin Tatum as his mentor this season and I'm just gutted for him.

"I'm not sure what else the lad could have done and I know he's really upset by the decision. Peter's reasoning is that Dan isn't a Premier League rider like all the others but that's not for the want of trying.

"He spent all winter trying to get a Premier League place without success and has instead come back to the Conference League with Weymouth where he's ridden superbly so far this year.

"I think it's a snub for Dan, a snub for Weymouth and a snub for the Conference League as well. I've got a lot of time for Peter Oakes and I'm a great admirer of the work he's done for speedway at youth and under-21 level. But on this occasion he's got it wrong and I can't see how he can justify what he's done."

The first of three World Under-21 qualifiers takes place at Belle Vue later this month with the other meetings in Austria and the Czech Republic. But with no appeal procedure available, Giffard's hopes of making any of the meetings are dead in the water.

White added: "We can't appeal so that is that. It's a real shame but all Dan can do now is perform for Weymouth and prove Peter Oakes wrong. He knows he did enough to qualify and while that's scant consolation, it's all he can take from the experience."