Ivan Mauger

[bruno 1,790]

I remember a story from I think Larry Ross in SS and I think it must have been the World pairs in Poland I think. They told him and Ivan that there pit area was out in the blazing sun and Larry was going to accept it but Ivan set up in the shade. Larry said they'll throw us out the meeting and Ivan said let them try. He knew he was more important than the officials were to the meeting .lol. Story was along those lines

[britmet 233]

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You don't have to have been a Mauger fan to acknowledge that he has been the most successful speedway rider ever, and to give him the credit it deserves to have been that rider. As a Cradley supporter it was always going to be Ivor not Ivan we shouted for, - everyone will know the "Man I Hated" saga from Triple Crown Plus - , (unwarranted but good press ! )

You don't have to have been the most exciting rider to watch to have been the most successful, - in fact the opposite is true. Many of the most exciting are/were the riders who struggled but didn't give in, trying to pass for 4 laps without success. Ivan wasn't one of those !

[Midland Red 2,383]

Best I've seen in 53 years

[dantodan 314]

You should read my Ivan Mauger pages on my websites, If you have a few hours to spend! I think they are very interesting and I expect you will think so too: -

 

http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk

 

http://www.newcastlespeedwayhistory.co.uk

 

Anyone old enough to watch Ivan ride couldn't help but be impressed. Why? because he was "Simply The Best" to coin a phrase..

[iris123 20,979]

Always(generalisation,but mostly true) a question of when you started watching speedway from reading this forum for 15 years.....

 

For me Ivan was and probably will remain the ultimate speedway rider,the ultimate professional.He was and remains the best ever.But i can understand when someone older thinks Fundin was/is the best or someone younger thinks Rickardsson is the best.You can't really argue against any of them

[Phlipphlopp 3,913]

Always(generalisation,but mostly true) a question of when you started watching speedway from reading this forum for 15 years.....

 

For me Ivan was and probably will remain the ultimate speedway rider,the ultimate professional.He was and remains the best ever.But i can understand when someone older thinks Fundin was/is the best or someone younger thinks Rickardsson is the best.You can't really argue against any of them

Just glad i had the privilege of watching him most Monday nights for several seasons. You cant compare riders from different era's , its like trying to compare Pele with Messi. Both greats but you cannot compare. Cant be bothered to check , but didnt he in one season only get beaten 7 times , 2 of those were for engine failures ? 11.8 something average . Crazy. Best in his era , no dangers.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Just glad i had the privilege of watching him most Monday nights for several seasons. You cant compare riders from different era's , its like trying to compare Pele with Messi. Both greats but you cannot compare. Cant be bothered to check , but didnt he in one season only get beaten 7 times , 2 of those were for engine failures ? 11.8 something average . Crazy. Best in his era , no dangers.

I was a big Briggo fan but all what you say was totally true and he was 30 years ahead of his time so professional took the sport to another level great man proud to have seen him at his pomp.

[coventry1963 99]

Speaking to Jack Parker many years ago, he always maintained that any of the top riders from any era would have been close to the top in any other era. He said Fundin, Mauger, Briggs, Nielsen et al at their peak would have been formidable opponents to him in his era and, at his peak, he would have been the same to them in their time. He said any of the top riders would have adapted to the era at the time with bikes, styles etc. Any comparison therefore has to be subjective.

[SCB 0]

Ivan was retired by the time I was old enough to know I was at a speedway meeting. But I was lucky enough to see him do the "final 4 laps" (plus a dozen more!) at Exeter. He come out and took it steady for 4 laps and it was a bit underwhelming, then he got faster and faster. His final 4 laps while not flat out showed that even into his 60s he could still ride a bike, he could have probably scored points in the meeting itself if he had wanted to, he just oozed class. That was just some demo rides from a guy I'd only heard about (and seen on video) up to that point. I was amazed.

 

It's damn hard to argue he was anything but the best speedway rider of all time. As has been said it's hard to compare riders of different eras but having watched and read everything I have about Ivan I've no doubt that with his mind set, his will to win and his methodical approach Ivan would have been a success in whatever he chose and that means he'd have made it as the very best in any era, it may have taken more work, it may have taken a different approach but I'm certain he'd have done.

 

The fact he's been retire 30 years and people still talk about that time he was beat by x, y and z. You clearly didn't get beat very often if that's how you're remembered!!

[Guest]

Sale of Ivan Mauger's bikes:

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wolverhampton/2017/09/13/speedway-star-ivan-maugers-bikes-for-sale/

[norbold 7,109]

 

The fact he's been retire 30 years and people still talk about that time he was beat by x, y and z. You clearly didn't get beat very often if that's how you're remembered!!

That's very true, SCB, but then again, he didn't have the sort of opposition that maybe other candidates for the best ever had. Fundin for example had Briggs, Moore, Craven and Knutson to contend with as well as riders of the class of Gote Nordin and Nigel Boocock. Though there again that might have been because actually Mauger was a class above all other riders (with the possible exception of Ole Olsen). Who knows? As has been said above, it is impossible to compare the top riders of each era with riders from a different era. The number of top class opponents is an important factor in that.

[bigcatdiary 3,165]

I first started watching him when I was 14, he was pure and utter class on a motorbike and was the best starter for in the sport by the proverbial mile.

 

Ultra professional with immaculate machinery, just didn't have any weak points at all.

 

Lucky to meet him several times and was always the perfect gentleman with supporters when I saw him.

Edited September 15, 2017 by bigcatdiary

[waiheke1 4,295]

That's very true, SCB, but then again, he didn't have the sort of opposition that maybe other candidates for the best ever had. Fundin for example had Briggs, Moore, Craven and Knutson to contend with as well as riders of the class of Gote Nordin and Nigel Boocock. Though there again that might have been because actually Mauger was a class above all other riders (with the possible exception of Ole Olsen). Who knows? As has been said above, it is impossible to compare the top riders of each era with riders from a different era. The number of top class opponents is an important factor in that.

Was Briggs better than Olsen? Knutson better than Michsnek? Craven better than PC? Boocock better than Simmons? Or were those riders more successful because they weren't up against Mauger.

I'd say there's much more of a case that Eric and Hans had things easier as they picked up titles in an era shorn of the riders who should have been their top rivals (penhall sigalos carter lee sanders all lost prematurely, and you could arguably add Kelly Moran to that list as a rider who for other reasons wasn't the title contender he could have been).

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

I first started watching him when I was 14, he was pure and utter class on a motorbike and was the best starter for in the sport by the proverbial mile.

Ultra professional with immaculate machinery, just didn't have any weak points at all.

Lucky to meet him several times and was always the perfect gentleman with supporters when I saw him.

For all that he achieved he was never a bighead, he had time for his team mates and as you said a superb starter never reared up ever and he could pass if need be.For me he had everything but the greatest thing for me was that when he first came over he failed but he never gave up believed in himself and regrouped and the rest is history great rider and man.Also it is lovely that Mirac, Briggo, Ivan were all close got on well that is very unique in the dog/eat world of sport they all had total respect for each other and those three are all in a top 15 ever.

Was Briggs better than Olsen? Knutson better than Michsnek? Craven better than PC? Boocock better than Simmons? Or were those riders more successful because they weren't up against Mauger.

I'd say there's much more of a case that Eric and Hans had things easier as they picked up titles in an era shorn of the riders who should have been their top rivals (penhall sigalos carter lee sanders all lost prematurely, and you could arguably add Kelly Moran to that list as a rider who for other reasons wasn't the title contender he could have been).

Was so surprised "waihe read up that Briggo in 1967 was a red hot favourite...??? i thought his real peak was the 50s and early 60s .Great point about Hans/Erik would they have dominated if the others had not fell by the wayside also do you think if a peak/Fit Carter would have made the final would he have been favourite to win at Bradford in 85.?

[steve roberts 9,246]

For all that he achieved he was never a bighead, he had time for his team mates and as you said a superb starter never reared up ever and he could pass if need be.For me he had everything but the greatest thing for me was that when he first came over he failed but he never gave up believed in himself and regrouped and the rest is history great rider and man.Also it is lovely that Mirac, Briggo, Ivan were all close got on well that is very unique in the dog/eat world of sport they all had total respect for each other and those three are all in a top 15 ever.

Was so surprised "waihe read up that Briggo in 1967 was a red hot favourite...??? i thought his real peak was the 50s and early 60s .Great point about Hans/Erik would they have dominated if the others had not fell by the wayside also do you think if a peak/Fit Carter would have made the final would he have been favourite to win at Bradford in 85.?

Always interesting comparing eras but I think Hans and Erik would have risen to the challenge whoever may have been around during the eighties.

 

Regarding Carter he had three chances after Los Angeles to make an impression but after riding at Norden in 1983 (I was there and he was never really in with a shout of the title) injuries curtailed his later efforts. I personally felt his crash in 1985 at the Inter-Continental Final (?) was of his on doing due to over riding - John Davis has commented on the incident in an interview he gave some years ago in 'Backtrack' who was taken out by Carter and thus ruined his own chances of progressing.

Edited September 15, 2017 by steve roberts