Hamish McRaker 601 Posted June 5, 2018 (edited) The current team manager used to be a dull rider, I suspect he is the same now. So Denmark has a pair of dull riders in this competition, whose best days are well behind them. And Leon Madsen is not considered, probably because he is a problem child. Nor is Anders Thomsen who on current form is surely better than the current incumbents. Dull, dull, dull. Get Nicki Pedersen in as team manager. I bet he wouldn't be so cautious. Edited June 5, 2018 by Hamish McRaker 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted June 6, 2018 (edited) 18 hours ago, Hamish McRaker said: The current team manager used to be a dull rider, I suspect he is the same now. So Denmark has a pair of dull riders in this competition, whose best days are well behind them. And Leon Madsen is not considered, probably because he is a problem child. Nor is Anders Thomsen who on current form is surely better than the current incumbents. Dull, dull, dull. Get Nicki Pedersen in as team manager. I bet he wouldn't be so cautious. ...I'm assuming that this is a reference to Hans Nielsen? Having followed his career from day one and enjoying nine years watching him lead 'The Cheetahs' he was anything but dull. Okay he won most of his races from the gate which many may perceive as being 'dull' but many of the 'greats' had that same attribute considering that to be successful in speedway one of the main qualities is the ability to gate. However I've witnessed many great races involving Hans team-riding his partner and passing riders when required in sometimes spectacular moves...too many to remember but I instantly recall races involving him and John Cook, Erik Gundersen, Sam Ermolenko, Kelvin Tatum etc etc who were no slouches by any stretch of the imagination. Due to his ultimate professionalism on and off the track he lead 'The Cheetahs' to three League Championships as well as many other team honours too many to mention where his contribution could never have been under estimated...a true legend and one of the greats. Talking of Ncki Pedersen I witnessed first hand his time spent at Cowley and due to his unprofessional attitude off track (and re-nowned volatile nature on track where I witnessed two exclusions for pointless moves on opponents thereby undermining team ethic and/or contribution) he was sacked for an incident in the pits at Peterborough later turning up at Eastbourne. I have no knowledge of the current spate of Danish riders and therefore can not offer a comment regarding team selection and/or performance. Edited June 6, 2018 by steve roberts 6 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted June 6, 2018 It's difficult to find anyone in current day sport with a personality. That includes speedway, and not just the Danes. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish McRaker 601 Posted June 6, 2018 7 hours ago, steve roberts said: ...I'm assuming that this is a reference to Hans Nielsen? Having followed his career from day one and enjoying nine years watching him lead 'The Cheetahs' he was anything but dull. Okay he won most of his races from the gate which many may perceive as being 'dull' but many of the 'greats' had that same attribute considering that to be successful in speedway one of the main qualities is the ability to gate. However I've witnessed many great races involving Hans team-riding his partner and passing riders when required in sometimes spectacular moves...too many to remember but I instantly recall races involving him and John Cook, Erik Gundersen, Sam Ermolenko, Kelvin Tatum etc etc who were no slouches by any stretch of the imagination. Due to his ultimate professionalism on and off the track he lead 'The Cheetahs' to three League Championships as well as many other team honours too many to mention where his contribution could never have been under estimated...a true legend and one of the greats. Talking of Ncki Pedersen I witnessed first hand his time spent at Cowley and due to his unprofessional attitude off track (and re-nowned volatile nature on track where I witnessed two exclusions for pointless moves on opponents thereby undermining team ethic and/or contribution) he was sacked for an incident in the pits at Peterborough later turning up at Eastbourne. I have no knowledge of the current spate of Danish riders and therefore can not offer a comment regarding team selection and/or performance. He was a very accomplished and highly successful rider. No doubt about it 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martinmauger 584 Posted June 8, 2018 I'd say Peter Kildemand is an a-typical Dane for riding style and that Martin Smolinski is a bit of a character.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fromafar 10,359 Posted June 8, 2018 On 5 June 2018 at 12:52 PM, Hamish McRaker said: The current team manager used to be a dull rider, I suspect he is the same now. So Denmark has a pair of dull riders in this competition, whose best days are well behind them. And Leon Madsen is not considered, probably because he is a problem child. Nor is Anders Thomsen who on current form is surely better than the current incumbents. Dull, dull, dull. Get Nicki Pedersen in as team manager. I bet he wouldn't be so cautious. Wish we could find 7 dull riders like Hans. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tigerblade 221 Posted June 8, 2018 Not totally Dane related, but I always thought of Dave Jessup as a dull rider, as he was the complete opposite of the Americans around at the time - how I wish that Team GB had 4 or 5 like him now..... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish McRaker 601 Posted June 8, 2018 We will see how the Danes get on today and where they finish at the end of day one. The bizarre celebrations after finishing 3rd in Teterow may be nothing compared with how they react to 5th place, the Carlsberg could really be flowing in the streets of Esbjerg. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martinmauger 584 Posted June 8, 2018 Nielsen & Gundesen were two very different riders with different styles, both started relatively unspectaularly results-wise but then acquired the same habit of winning. All. The. Time. If only either had 'defected' to become a Brit in 1980's, woulda made a heck of a difference. At roughly the same time Tommy Knudsen arrived, a very good rider but not quite the standard of those two. Then came along Jan O Pedersen, more Gundersen than Nielsen, but arguably even more exciting to watch. And another winner..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish McRaker 601 Posted June 8, 2018 1 hour ago, martinmauger said: Nielsen & Gundesen were two very different riders with different styles, both started relatively unspectaularly results-wise but then acquired the same habit of winning. All. The. Time. If only either had 'defected' to become a Brit in 1980's, woulda made a heck of a difference. At roughly the same time Tommy Knudsen arrived, a very good rider but not quite the standard of those two. Then came along Jan O Pedersen, more Gundersen than Nielsen, but arguably even more exciting to watch. And another winner..... Loved Jan O Pedersen. They need someone like him now, to stir up the blandness. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted June 8, 2018 3 hours ago, martinmauger said: Nielsen & Gundesen were two very different riders with different styles, both started relatively unspectaularly results-wise but then acquired the same habit of winning. All. The. Time. If only either had 'defected' to become a Brit in 1980's, woulda made a heck of a difference. At roughly the same time Tommy Knudsen arrived, a very good rider but not quite the standard of those two. Then came along Jan O Pedersen, more Gundersen than Nielsen, but arguably even more exciting to watch. And another winner..... I witnessed Hans during his first season here (1977) and I think it that it was fair to say it was clear that he had potential registering a healthy first season average. Erik was a different rider with a style more akin to the Yanks in my opinion. Jan O was an exceptional talent although John Berry thought that John Jorgensen looked the better of the two at a training school spin at Mildenhall (?) and I believe that they were cousins? Jan O was unlucky with injuries both on and off the track but the middle late eighties were all about Nielsen and Gundersen with Nielsen shading it...but I would say that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The White Knight 9,039 Posted June 9, 2018 On 6/6/2018 at 10:36 AM, moxey63 said: It's difficult to find anyone in current day sport with a personality. That includes speedway, and not just the Danes. I am afraid being a character with a bit of individuality is frowned on these days. The more's the pity. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hobnob 24 Posted June 10, 2018 lol Hans dull great to watch and a great person too, blimey Ivan Mauger must have real dull then I think Hans was better at team riding and more complete but never dull and having watched him for years and had his help on track you must be bonkers bud what we would give for a team of dull riders then 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ABS 231 Posted June 11, 2018 Jepsen-Jensen didn't look like a rider with his best days behind him. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trotter65 57 Posted June 13, 2018 Nielsen was never dull..a great rider and a fantastic team rider...Gundersen was my favourite rider and to me was fantastic to watch around Hyde Road..his wide lines were like nothing I'd seen including Collins and Morton..and Jan O was possibly the best passer I've seen... I must admit I thought Jepsen Jensen looked pretty exciting in the World Pairs though.. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites