Niels Kr. Iversen has the opportunity on Thursday night to win individual DM gold for the 8th consecutive time. In this year's final, which is being run in Holsted, Iversen will, however, be challenged by a strong field that guarantees nerve-wracking races and surprises. Funen Peter Kildemand is still hampered by a crash in Hungary and is being replaced by Mads Korneliussen.
By Ib Søby
– It will mean a lot to me. I can write my own speedway story, says Niels-Kristian Iversen in an interview to Jyske West Coast on Wednesday.
Last year, 36-year-old Iversen triumphed confidently on the home court in Esbjerg, and on that occasion he clinched the legendary Ole Olsen's record of seven consecutive DM titles in the period 1967-1973.
– Equality is great at the top of the Danish speedway and has been for a long time, so seven titles in a row is actually crazy, but it's clear that I would really like to win again.
In the same interview Niels Kr. Iversen on strong Holsted drivers like Nicki Pedersen and Rasmus Jensen, as serious threats to the dream of the historic 8th title.
The formidable winner of the Warsaw Open, Leon Madsen, has canceled the DM Final, because he has Saturday's World Cup Grand Prix in Slovenian Krsko as the main target. There is training in Krsko on Friday afternoon, and Leon Madsen will not miss it. This also means that Niels Kr. Iversen with his DM bet does not get trained ahead of the season's second grand prix. However, Iversen has a solid knowledge of the track close to the Croatian border.
The evening's DM field is a good mix of tanned drivers who have previously been able to adorn themselves with the DM title. Nicki Pedersen has seven titles in the period from 2002 to 2011. However, Nicki's hour was interrupted by Bjarne Pedersen in 2004, Hans Andersen in 2007 and Kenneth Bjerre in 2010.
The audience and TV viewers must also keep a close eye on Michael Jepsen Jensen and the two Zealand sky-stormers Mikkel Michelsen and Mikkel Bech. From the younger generation, riders like Frederik Jakobsen, Nikolaj Busk, Jonas Jeppesen and Sam Jensen will be able to deliver solid heats and tease the top favorites.
The DM finals are run without Anders Thomsen and the injured Peter Kildemand. According to the regulations, NERI cannot substitute Thomsen as a replacement for Sources, but must give way to the next ranked from the semi-finals, in this case Mads Korneliussen.
– A canceled match in Poland and the first DM semi-final in Brovst has this year meant date coincidence with foreign leagues, where Thomsen has also committed to run, writes NERI in a statement and continues:
– Peter Kildemand has been in the same situation as Anders Thomsen, but in the opinion of the Sports Commission Speedways, a draw was drawn in which both riders participated, and here Peter was awarded the Wild Card which the Sports Commission can award in collaboration with the coach.
It is very regrettable that we have riders who, due to the circumstances, cannot participate in the DM final, but we have abided by the rules.
Sports Commission Speedway will work with several solutions going forward so that similar episodes do not recur.
The race will be broadcast on TV2 Sport from 2 p.m. 18.00, where the director of Vojens Speedway Center, Jacob Olsen, takes on the neutral cap and is an expert commentator.
The 16 drivers:
Nicki Pedersen, Niels Kristian Iversen, Mikkel Michelsen, Kenneth Bjerre, Mads Korneliussen, Michael Jepsen Jensen, Nicolai Klindt, Bjarne Pedersen, Mikkel Bech, Rene Bach, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen, Frederik Jakobsen, Claus Vissing, Rasmus Jensen, Jonas Jeppesen, Sam J .
Course Reserves:
Jonas Seifert -
All riders must complete five regular heats. The top four riders take part in the final, taking the points from the preliminary heats.