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Guest ohhyeah

Best Ever Rider.

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So Must be Tony Rickardsson most titles

 

 

Oops... think I'd better give Ivan a call and let him know

 

Sorry Steve a little premature as always (ask the missis) :shock:

 

Will keep you imformed :approve: wont be long :!:

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Hey jblanch69

 

Quote:

Sverre Harrfeldt would have given him a run for his money though!

 

 

In your dreams sunshine, in your dreams.

 

Sverre on Tony's second bike tonight and Tony on his first!

 

Sverre would have have murderd him (eat dust) ;) 8)

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Yeah but with a bit of seasoning, and bar the tragedy, a bit of luck, and not being disrepectful to PC, who by the way really got good when the tracks were heavy and rough, I just feel that Tommy was just a bit better in most ways. Where as PC was something special in his time, he still didnt have the raw talent and disipline that Jansson had. Very few did. One reasons the Swedes are so good I believe is because they are a bit calculating, pressure doesnt exist with them. Every other countries has the emotion, flamboyance, and live life to the fullest attitude, which is good sometimes and is fun to watch, but talent all being equal, the Swedes win hands down because they tend to parse pressure. I am probably waffling, and not making sense. PC should have won 2 or 3 Finals. Had Tommy lived he would have done it. Sandman .

 

I think we are all a little guilty of getting drunk on nostalgia sometimes. And, even more so about riders who are sadly no longer with us.

 

But if you're suggesting Tommy Jansson could have been better than Peter Collins, well I think that's a big, big call you're making there. And I'm not sure i can buy that.

 

Quick run down of PC:

 

* Won one World Title, but could have won more if not for injury - 77 and sabotage - 78

 

* Only rider to score three consecutive maximums in World Team Cup Finals (73-75)

 

* England's most capped rider ever

 

* Won 4 World Pairs Titles - all with different partners

 

* Twice on rostrum at World Long Track

 

* 10 point plus average for 9 seasons in British League

 

Even then I think these achievements don't truly reflect his ability. Think hard, would Tommy Jansson honestly have surpassed all this?

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My top 10 of all time for today is as follows:

 

1. Ivan Mauger – Certainly the greatest rider I ever saw in terms of both stature and ability. When I began going to speedway it was generally accepted that he was the best in the world, in much the same way as Rickardsson is today. His World Final record shows just how dedicated and professional he was.

 

2. Ove Fundin – Many people say he was the best ever, and it’s possible he was. I never saw him ride during his career, so on that basis I have to put him below Ivan.

 

3. Tony Rickardsson – It’s hard to judge Rickardsson’s World Championship record against Ivan and Ove because of the Grand Prix system making it more likely that the best rider in the World will win. It’s possible it would have made no difference anyway, but either way a record number of wins looks to be his for the taking.

 

4. Hans Neilsen/Erik Gundersen – A major case of fence sitting but impossible for me to split them. Hans was by far the better rider, but Erik always seemed to find the edge on the night.

 

6. Barry Briggs – Would have to be the most famous rider ever, one of the few riders that people with no knowledge of speedway had still heard about. Four World titles and a phenomenal record in the BLRC put him among the greats, though again he was past his best by the time I started going so loses out to Hans & Erik on that basis.

 

7. Bruce Penhall – who knows what he would have achieved (or Hans & Erik) if he hadn’t retired. He may well have gone on to be the best of all, but we’ll never know. To win the World Title knowing that you have to do it for a TV show takes some doing though, whatever the arguments for and against the referee’s decision, and his 1981 win was just sheer brilliance.

 

8. Peter Collins – Falcace’s posting says it all really. The best one time winner and could have won many more with more luck.

 

9. Ole Olsen – winner of the first World Final I went to, and did the same at Wembley again 3 years later. Seeing him charging about in the GPs and making the referee’s decisions for him makes it easy to forget just how good a rider he actually was.

 

10. Michael Lee – I once saw Michael Lee take on Phil Crump in the Golden Helmet at Swindon. In both races he was just larking about and pulling wheelies down the straights, yet he still won them both easily. You just couldn’t do that to Crumpie at Swindon! I still reckon this was the most amazing single display of riding I have ever seen. Such a shame he threw it away

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10. Michael Lee – I once saw Michael Lee take on Phil Crump in the Golden Helmet at Swindon. In both races he was just larking about and pulling wheelies down the straights, yet he still won them both easily. You just couldn’t do that to Crumpie at Swindon! I still reckon this was the most amazing single display of riding I have ever seen. Such a shame he threw it away

 

I saw Mike Lee doing something similar to Chris Morton at Belle Vue. Lee had it all didn't he? He could gate, overtake inside or out, ride big, small, grippy or slick tracks.

 

When you think that he won everything (World Title, World Long Track, World Pairs, World Team Cup) and people still say he was a wasted talent - that just shows how good he really was.

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It's always a problem compiling a list of top 1, top 5, top 10 or whatever, riders because of the comparison between different eras, differnt styles, different bikes, different tracks, different rules, different class of opposition etc. The other question to consider is do we mean the best rider on his day or the best rider over a long period? Just to give an example of that of two riders from the same era, I would say that, on his day, Ole Olsen was better than Ivan Mauger, but certainly not as consistent over as long a period of time. Also, is success in the World Championship the sole criterion or do we look at team men like Ronnie Moore, Ken McKinlay, Olle Nygren and Nigel Boocock who were perhaps not so successful at an individual level as they might have been (yes, even Ronnie Moore!)

Most of the suggestions for best rider ever on this thread only go as far back as Ove Fundin. From my own observation of riders I have actually seen I would certainly go along with the suggestion that Ove was the greatest ever. Though I have to say Tony Rickardsson is, to my mind, fast catching him up.

But what about riders we've only read about? Vic Huxley, Jack Parker, Tom Farndon, Vic Duggan? A look at their records would suggest they must be worthy of consideration, but any question like this is bound to be skewed to the present or very recent past. It's an impossible question to answer.

Having said all that, my top 10, going on observation and records would be:

1. Ove Fundin

2. Ivan Mauger

3. Vic Duggan

4. Tony Rickardsson

5. Barry Briggs

6. Tom Farndon

7. Vic Huxley

8. Jack Young

9. Hans Nielsen

10. Ronnie Moore

 

And I agree with Custom House Kid that Sverre Harrfeldt would have given Rickardsson a run for his money, certainly around Custom House.

 

Think I'll go and have a lie down now....

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In reply to Falcase, I am trying to be objective from my own humble opinion. There isn't anything that anyone could take away from PC. However, really not everything comes down to numbers. Tommy didn't have the chance to fulfill his potential, PC did. Admittedly, it is a bit of comparing apples to oranges, there is such an unknown here, so really it is all speculation on my part. My point is I have seen a few special ones come along, and he was even a bit above that. As I said, just my humble opinion.Tommy had the natural talent of Kelly Moran, but an incredible work ethic. At the time of his death, he was up to par with PC.None of my comments are meant to make light of PC's record, just to illuminate what might have been.

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To be fair I only saw Ove Fundin a couple of times at the back end of his career so did not see him at his best !

 

I saw Ove Fundin for the first time @ Rye House this year! Probably the first and last time too lol ;)

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shazzybird wrote:

 

I saw Ove Fundin for the first time @ Rye House this year! Probably the first and last time too lol

 

I did see Fundin, Briggo,Moore & Mauger in the 60s :P:D but missed out a lot from 1971 to 2000 (did'nt go) :!: :oops::cry:

 

Except for one meeting 1981 Wembley, Bruce Penhall :P:P

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Trying not to labour the point ;) I am Biased!

 

I never saw him but I always think Ove Fundin appeared to do it in a time when there were other riders around who won multiple titles. I just think his 5 seems more impressive than his rivals. In amongst his 5 other winners were Barry Briggs, Ronnie Moore and Peter Craven who all won more than one title.

 

BANG ON SHODDY! I could not have said it better myself. 100% correct.

 

One of those other winners Barry Briggs who, just beat Sverre Harrfeldt in 1966.

3rd Antoni Woryna

4th Ivan Mauger

"In Sweden"

 

Just to point out Sverre could ride a bit in his time and not only at Custom House! 8) ;)

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Guest ML

Hi all, I'm new to this forum.....just been looking for anything about my famous (infamous!) namesake - Michael Lee!

I seen bits that folks have posted above here about him, but what has happened to him? Where is he now? Is there a brief potted history of the guy anywhere?

Main reason for this apart from genuine interest - is that I am due to take my first ride on a speedway bike this Saturday morning at Sheffield's Tiger's test track at Owlerton!

And I am really looking forward to it! Can't wait to have a go!

Ta Michael Lee :lol:

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Guest BritPeter

Ivan Mauger was the best gater of all time, take that away and he would have won nothing. Ove Fundin, even in the handicap day's had a vey high average, I used to go all over the country to watch Ove, he had a cult following at the time, and he rarely disappointed. OVE IS THE GREATEST!

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What if Mike Lee had stayed on the straight and narrow? Focused like he was as a 16 year old... How many more World Championships would have come his way? No telling.....Would... should... could......Mmmmmmmm. interesting... Have to admit, talent as good as the best ever..... Oh, that is another thread........... 8)

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What if Mike Lee had stayed on the straight and narrow? Focused like he was as a 16 year old... How many more World Championships would have come his way? No telling.....Would... should... could......Mmmmmmmm. interesting... Have to admit, talent as good as the best ever..... Oh, that is another thread........... 8)

 

Be careful Sandman, jblanch69 may be looking :!: :shock:;)

 

Just beat? Just missed? Almost, could have, might have, should have, ride a bit? I think you are labouring.... (almost pregnant, you heard of that one )

 

Are you pregnant :lol::lol:

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