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WHEN it comes to winning the Speedway World Cup, Niels Kristian Iversen has been there, done that and got the two gold medals to prove it.
WHEN it comes to winning the Speedway World Cup, Niels Kristian Iversen has been there, done that and got the two gold medals to prove it.And the Panthers skipper also has an uncanny habit of being the man to clinch the biggest title in world speedway for his nation, Denmark.
Iversen settled the issue with the winning ride when the Danes triumphed on British soil in a sizzling final at Reading back into 2006.
Then he was the man to wrap it up when they got their hands back on the trophy on home shale at Vojens last summer.
Now he is gearing up for a hat-trick bid. Vojens is again the destination for Iversen and his Panthers sidekick Kenneth Bjerre tonight when they launch their World Cup defence in Event One against Sweden, the Czech Republic and Russia.
“I guess it is strange how it has worked out that I have had the winning ride,” said Iversen, who is in the Danish team for the seventh successive year.
“It is obviously a pretty cool experience to do it, but winning the World Cup is not about one man or one race.
“In both years we won it, I would rather have scored more points for the team than ridden in the heat that sealed it.
“There was a lot of pressure last year with the final being in our country, but it was great to win in front of all the Danish fans.
“But what happened in the past doesn’t really count for anything now. It is a new year and we have to all ride at our best.”
The Peterborough pair feature in an unchanged Danish side as their team boss Jan Staechmann sticks with the side that delivered the goods 12 months ago.
Bjerre was an eye-catching performer last year when riding through the pain of a broken thigh sustained only weeks earlier.
World champion Nicki Pedersen, namesake Bjarne Pedersen and Panthers asset Hans Andersen (expected to be fit after a frightening smash in Sweden on Tuesday when he was taken down by Emil Sayfutdinov and catapulted over the safety fence) complete the Danish line-up.
But Iversen is the first to admit the Danes face a tall order to retain their title with the final stages of this year’s event being played out in Poland.
The super-fast Alfred Smoczyk Stadium in Leszno is again the venue for the race-off and final just as it was in 2007 when Denmark were pipped by the host nation.
Iversen again makes the Poles favourites but believes there are plenty of strong candidates for glory.
He added: “We all know each other so well in the Danish team because it has been the same for so long.
“The only time I can really remember it changing was when Charlie Gjedde rode instead of Kenneth in 2006.
“But I have to admit it will be tougher for us to win it again this year.
“We all know what the Polish riders can do in Poland. They always seem to pull out a little bit extra and ride really well.
“I think you would have to say they are the favourites, but Australia also have a very good side and Sweden look strong too.”
Another Panthers man will be among the opposition tonight. Ales Dryml captains a Czech side also featuring his brother, Lukas.
THE TEAMS
Event One
Russia - 1 Roman Povazhny, 2 Denis Gizatullin (c), 3 Renat Gafurov, 4 Emil Sayfutdinov, 5 Grigory Laguta. Team manager: Oleg Volochov.
Denmark - 1 Nicki Pedersen, 2 Bjarne Pedersen, 3 Hans Andersen (c), 4 Kenneth Bjerre, 5 Niels Kristian Iversen. Team manager: Jan Staechmann.
Sweden - 1 Antonio Lindback, 2 Fredrik Lindgren, 3 David Ruud, 4 Andreas Jonsson (c), 5 Jonas Davidsson. Team manager: Tobias Johansson.
Czech Republic - 1 Ales Dryml (c), 2 Adrian Rymel, 3 Lukas Dryml, 4 Josef Franc, 5 Matej Kus. Team manager: Milan Spinka.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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