Who Was The Best Rider In The World In 2013?

[stratton 1,491]

on this subject you actually can be wrong...crazy robin IS right..the messiah darcy would be a forgotten man if he never wins world title..tai will be engraved in speedway world FOREVER..i really cant believe people see this any other way..

Bit sad Colin don't you think? i am not saying you have to agree far from it but you would have to be Stevie Wonder not to think Ward has mega ability.! I thinkI if Ward gets his act together it is up to him he has everything in his hands we will see.

[ColinMills 1,728]

carter, Jessup had mega ability, all I say is,UNTIL ward is champion, you darcy worshippers are living off ifs and buts

[theblueboy 960]

It's not too difficult if you don't have a vested interest in the Poole v Wolverhampton love in. The clue is in the title.

 

A rider who I thought would do well to finish last in the GP actually won it. He won races from the front and won races from the back. He has improved immeasurably as a rider and has matured appreciably as an individual.

 

He has never been my favourite rider and never will be but Tai Woffinden was the rider of 2013 by a country mile given the expectation level for the vast majority of this forum.

[YerRopes 3,009]

I'd rather have Darcy In my team than Tai.

 

Reason: because I've had the pleasure of watching Darcy over the last few seasons and feel privileged that I am watching the most naturally talented rider I've ever seen at the start of his career and now maturing into a world class rider. He looks out for his team mates and has a burning desire to win.

 

 

A fair post RP..

 

If the title of this thread had been 'Who is the most talented rider you've ever seen' - then for me it would be young Darcy, he can achieve it all if he has the right mindset..

 

Time will tell though..

[stevebrum 6,821]

Bit sad Colin don't you think? i am not saying you have to agree far from it but you would have to be Stevie Wonder not to think Ward has mega ability.! I thinkI if Ward gets his act together it is up to him he has everything in his hands we will see.

This is the whole point Sidney. Ward is probably one of the most natural and gifted riders in any a good year.

IF`s dont win you World titles and IF`s dont stop you getting injured by over riding and ruining your title hopes and IFS need to stay out of trouble and put your career first.

 

WHEN Darcy does all those things he MAY just fulfill that promise and talent. As yet he is just one huge talent yet go all the way in the sport.

 

Tai already has done ALL those things mentioned and showed what it takes to fulfill potential and ability.

[stratton 1,491]

This is the whole point Sidney. Ward is probably one of the most natural and gifted riders in any a good year.IF`s dont win you World titles and IF`s dont stop you getting injured by over riding and ruining your title hopes and IFS need to stay out of trouble and put your career first.WHEN Darcy does all those things he MAY just fulfill that promise and talent. As yet he is just one huge talent yet go all the way in the sport.Tai already has done ALL those things mentioned and showed what it takes to fulfill potential and ability.

He has done it over one year only, can he deliver say over the next ten years?.As you have said he has done it he is in the roll of honour history books a great achievement Tai has a different challenge now he is the man to be shot at the man to beat.He is a great flag bearer for the sport good with the media and will be a breath of fresh air for the sport.Defending the WC and winning more titles is so hard to do, i am really am looking forward to seeing how he copes with the challenge.

carter, Jessup had mega ability, all I say is,UNTIL ward is champion, you darcy worshippers are living off ifs and buts

Jessup did not have mega ability! he was a world class rider no doubt about that but there were other English riders in that era that were as good if not better than Jessup.

[Double Up 39]

didnt anyone WATCH the GPs or did i just dream that tia was crowned WORLD champion. in 2013...

 

Tia? Womens speedway?

[waiheke1 4,295]

carter, Jessup had mega ability, all I say is,UNTIL ward is champion, you darcy worshippers are living off ifs and buts

 

Darcy has far, far more natural ability than either of those two riders, and I have huge respect for both as riders, particularly KC who is the best visting rider I ever saw round Hyde Rd. If Ward does not become a multi world champion, he will have to be regarded as a wasted talent.

[stevebrum 6,821]

He has done it over one year only, can he deliver say over the next ten years?.As you have said he has done it he is in the roll of honour history books a great achievement Tai has a different challenge now he is the man to be shot at the man to beat.He is a great flag bearer for the sport good with the media and will be a breath of fresh air for the sport.Defending the WC and winning more titles is so hard to do, i am really am looking forward to seeing how he copes with the challenge.

Time will tell, but i doubt he will be a one season wonder. He now knows what it took to make it to that stage and i doubt he will suddenly decide to step backwards in his career.

Likewise i am more than delighted that our Wolves aswt has developed from boy to man in front of our eyes. I cannot wait to see what this and many years hold for him.

He has the number one jacket now and others will be ready to shoot him down. Think he has already proven he has the ability to defy the odds.

Everyone starts afresh in 2014 so lets see who `brings it`.

[Man in black 18]

I wonder how many other riders have seen how Tai's application, dedication and hard work have transformed a reasonably talented rider into a proper World Champion and thought "If he can do that, so can I......". Could there be a few more surprises when the tapes go up in 2014?

[Crazy robin 2,963]

I think Tai will handle whatever is put in front of him as the lad has had to go through much tougher & more important things in his life & has done it so far.

 

I wish him well as he deserves everything he has achieved & will go on to achieve.

[E I Addio 15,845]

This is the whole point Sidney. Ward is probably one of the most natural and gifted riders in any a good year.

IF`s dont win you World titles and IF`s dont stop you getting injured by over riding and ruining your title hopes and IFS need to stay out of trouble and put your career first.

 

WHEN Darcy does all those things he MAY just fulfill that promise and talent. As yet he is just one huge talent yet go all the way in the sport.

 

Tai already has done ALL those things mentioned and showed what it takes to fulfill potential and ability.

 

 

Good points. It reminds me of an old saying in road racing that applies equally in speedway, which is that good riders are fast riders who have discovered that the ground is hard and slow down a bit.

 

To my mind Tai , in 2012 managed to tread the very fine line between going fast enough without over-cooking it. Darcy hasn't yet fully got used to the idea that the throttle works both ways although nobody would deny he is one of the most gifted riders ever to sit on a speedway bike, but at the very top level it does seem he needs to refine his undoubted talent a little

 

Interestingly (and as far as I can work out) Tai is one of only 7 riders to have won the WC at his age or younger. Of those seven only Peter Collins and Michael Lee failed to go on to at least one other title. Collins was never quite the same after his bad leg injury the year following his title win and we all know how Lee threw his career away. Statistically there is no reason why both Tai and Darcy shouldn't collect multiple titles if they stay reasonably fit.

 

Incidentally, Tai reminds me of Peter Karlsson in many ways. People talk bout Tai being a good gater but I seem to have seen him in a number of GP's where he has missed the gate then hung back , looked for the gaps, picked his line, found the grip and gone from last to first or second coming off the second bend. That is exactly what PK does and I think it takes a particular talent that not everybody has. At first I thought Tai was just lucky but it seems to happen too often to be just luck May be its coincidence but maybe Tai has learned something from the master.craftsman

Edited January 14, 2014 by E I Addio

[dump that clutch 630]

Darcy scores 106 from 52 rides = 2.038

Tai scores 151 from 74 rides = 2.04

 

massive difference between the two in 2013 i see...... about a fag paper i reckon.

FWIW Tai totally deserved his win last year, looking forward to this year's GP's.

 

Let's see who finishes top with Tai, Darcy & Emil finishing the season completing all GP's in 2014. that should put this little thread to bed hopefully.

[Tsunami 10,219]

 

 

Good points. It reminds me of an old saying in road racing that applies equally in speedway, which is that good riders are fast riders who have discovered that the ground is hard and slow down a bit.

 

To my mind Tai , in 2012 managed to tread the very fine line between going fast enough without over-cooking it. Darcy hasn't yet fully got used to the idea that the throttle works both ways although nobody would deny he is one of the most gifted riders ever to sit on a speedway bike, but at the very top level it does seem he needs to refine his undoubted talent a little

 

Interestingly (and as far as I can work out) Tai is one of only 7 riders to have won the WC at his age or younger. Of those seven only Peter Collins and Michael Lee failed to go on to at least one other title. Collins was never quite the same after his bad leg injury the year following his title win and we all know how Lee threw his career away. Statistically there is no reason why both Tai and Darcy shouldn't collect multiple titles if they stay reasonably fit.

 

Incidentally, Tai reminds me of Peter Karlsson in many ways. People talk bout Tai being a good gater but I seem to have seen him in a number of GP's where he has missed the gate then hung back , looked for the gaps, picked his line, found the grip and gone from last to first or second coming off the second bend. That is exactly what PK does and I think it takes a particular talent that not everybody has. At first I thought Tai was just lucky but it seems to happen too often to be just luck May be its coincidence but maybe Tai has learned something from the master.craftsman

 

Agree. The big difference that I noticed in Tai was his ability to miss the gate but still have such extra power that he could just drive through, and pass, other riders who were more experienced and would have had every opportunity to have the best bikes under them that they could afford. The difference was very noticable.

 

Although the main concentration seems to be on Tai And Darcy for the future, Emil and numerous young Poles will also be well in contention.

[BWitcher 12,453]

 

massive difference between the two in 2013 i see...... about a fag paper i reckon.

FWIW Tai totally deserved his win last year, looking forward to this year's GP's.

 

Let's see who finishes top with Tai, Darcy & Emil finishing the season completing all GP's in 2014. that should put this little thread to bed hopefully.

It would have nothing to do with this thread.. as 2014 is a different year to 2013.

 

Its not a fag paper either.

 

In the GP's Tai edged Darcy on pts per round.

 

In the EL he comfortably outscored him and in Poland he outscored him even more comprehensively.

Edited January 14, 2014 by BWitcher