Peterborough Panthers’ star’s favourite memories from a fantastic career on speedway

The 38-year-old has enjoyed a glittering career winning seven Danish titles, five Grand Prix and four World Cups - one in unforgettable circumstances. Denmark’s 2014 triumph came with Iversen passing Janusz Kolodziej on the final corner to snatch glory from Poland’s grasp in the most thrilling climax possible.

However, that moment doesn’t remain the highlight of the Yaxley-based racer’s days competing among the world’s best.

“I have probably a shared top memory,” said Iversen.

“I would say my favourite speedway moment in my career so far is when I won in Copenhagen in 2014, the Grand Prix there, and received the trophy from the Prince of Denmark. That was a special moment.

“But I would say the bigger one was when I finished third in the World Championship in 2013.

“It wasn’t a race win or a Grand Prix win, but when I was standing on the podium in the World Championship it was something I probably thought would never happen early on in my career. When I finally achieved that it was definitely my favourite moment so far.

“It’s definitely emotional because that was my first year sort of coming back into the Grand Prix. I had a few seasons early on, in 2006 and 2008, and I didn’t manage to keep my spot at the time. I was obviously a lot younger, a lot more inexperienced. Then I had a couple of years out (of the Grand Prix) where things were pretty rough and I had some injuries that sort of set my career back a bit.

“All of a sudden things just worked out my way. I was working hard to get back to the Grand Prix and I was working really hard to improve my game overall and things just started to fall into place and I started to be really, really consistent and really, really good everywhere. In 2013, that was the first year I requalified for the Grand Prix, and I was pretty open. I was just like: ‘Yeah, cool, I’m just going to go in and see what I can make of it’.

“My form was great everywhere. I won two Grand Prix that year. I hadn’t become world champion, as you can say ‘only third’, but that third for me at the time was huge. It was sort of a combination of all the work I’d put in at the time and it was a reward for the whole season.”

Iversen and his rivals have yet to turn a wheel in anger in the 2020 Grand Prix series because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The events in Sweden on July 25 and August 15 were cancelled, but organisers remain committed to crowning a world champion in October by working with the FIM on a contingency plan to ensure a minimum of eight rounds take place this year.

Iversen, who missed Gorzow’s first meeting of the campaign through injury as racing gets under way in Poland, added: “As I said I haven’t even won the biggest prize yet, which is the world championship. To date this is (third) my best result overall. Ever since I’ve been trying to chase a bigger result.

“I try to work harder and try to top that. But I haven’t succeeded since to beat it. I think it just proves how hard the game is and how well you have to ride and how good you have to be to be up there. As I see it, you finish third or you finish first or you finish fifth - it’s small details, everything is in the details. You need a bit of luck, you need a lot of obviously talent and determination, but it’s small details which decide if you win and lose. It’s tough up there.”

*Niels-Kristian Iversen was talking to Adrian Flux as part of their new Motorsport Memories series.