It is the fewest speedway riders who experience being the hottest name on the planet, which happened to Hans Andersen in the summer of 2006. Since then, his career has not offered quite the same heights, but as a class driver, Hans Andersen knows that with some luck, dreams can be fulfilled. The 39-year-old Fynbo has certainly not given up hope for more honors.
By Ib Søby
On Saturday, June 24, 2006, the Park in Copenhagen boiled with sizzling and infernal enthusiasm. In an enthralling final, Hans Andersen struck, winning ahead of Jason Crump, Bjarne Pedersen and Antonio Lindbäck.
Finally, the hope of a Danish victory in the Park was fulfilled, after Nicki Pedersen's three fourth places in a row, in the Danish edition of the Grandprix series.
While the crowd was partying in the Copenhagen bars and streets, the protagonist had to go to the emergency room himself at Rigshospitalet to get a hand injury he had been dealing with for a while.
At the same time, the Danish press corps sat loose in the Park's press center, because now there was the possibility of a dream scenario in Danish speedway. A new rivalry between two Danish fighting cocks, a rivalry like that in the 1980s between Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen, who made headlines and sold newspapers in crowds.
Now it should be Nicki Pedersen vs. Hans Andersen.
Sure enough, Hans Andersen had been "only" on the wildcard that night in the Park, but when Swedish superstar Tony Rickardsson set his great career that summer, Hans Andersen took the place as the series' first reserve.
Andersen acknowledged with a 3rd place in Lonigo, a 2nd place in Målilla and a new strong victory at the Marketa Stadium in Prague.
But after four GP finals in a row, the air went a bit off Andersen's balloon, and the great rivalry with Nicki never really came to fruition. The two fynboys, who had been a kind of friends throughout the young years, were eventually separated by the demands and maturity of adulthood. Nicki as the fiery, damn-violent, strives towards Andersen's slightly more sensitive mood, the elegant "ugly duckling" with the idol Erik Gundersen's colors on his bikes, against the crude and reckless winner type that Nicki was then.
Photo: John Bo Jensen Photo: John Bo Jensen Photo: John Bo Jensen
Maybe they could talk together, for periods, but it always stopped the moment the helmet came on and the bikes warmed up.
Although Andersen and Nicki also became team champions together, both the rivalry and a closer friendship failed.
...
Hans Andersen had to be determined to be a very capable league driver, and in the next few years the individual World Cup dreams often stopped in injuries or lack of momentum in the tough qualifying rounds.
Instead, Hans made his career a stable way of life, and he has left traces in the many clubs that have had him on the payroll. Hans is a prominent team player who likes to help and advise his colleagues in the equestrian yard, which has also been noticed by fans and team managers in large clubs in Poland, England, Sweden and Denmark.
Of course, daily life and cohabitation with Christina and their two boys have also played a part. In 2019, Hans Andersen was affected by several deaths that affected him profoundly. His father Svend passed away, as did both a Polish and a British sponsor, with whom he had formed close friendships throughout his career. For several periods during the year, Hans Andersen considered putting the bike in the garage more than once.
But the butchers still call.
With the connection to SES, Hans Andersen gets the opportunity to write a new chapter on his long CV, and the big dreams are certainly not extinguished yet. Now, for example, an EM title gives direct access to the World Cup series. Or how about a bit of qualifying, which could trigger another round on the very big stage where he knows the conditions and knows what it takes to be one of the world's hottest speedway drivers.
Because he has tried it.
HANS ANDERSEN # 34
Born:
November 3, 1980 in Odense
Clubs in 2020:
SES - Southern Jutland Elite Speedway, Denmark.
Peterborough, Panthers, England.
Orzel Lodz, Poland.
Selected results:
2007, 2008, no. 5 In the World Cup Grandprix series.
87 Grandprix races, 4 wins, 16 podium finishes.
Winner, Ullevi 2004, Parken 2006, Prague 2006, Terenzano 2008.
The Golden Helmet, Pardubice, 2008
Team World Champion 2006 in Reading and 2008 in Vojens.
No. 4 U21 World Cup 1999 in Vojens.
Danish champion 2007
Danish U21 champion 1996
Danish 80cc champion 1995
Married to Christina and has sons August and Noah.