lucifer sam Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Just for this, I promise never again to suggest that Oxford didn't deserve their glorious 2005 CL triumph!! I reckon you'll keep to that for about a week. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 I reckon you'll keep to that for about a week. All the best Rob Probably won't make it thru' tonight!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 We all thought TRick would do 7 ..... who can tell what will happen it's a funny ol' sport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatDave Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 ................ it's a funny ol' sport G'day Shazz, an' howthaheckareya? Who you callin' a Funny ol' Sport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmauger Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Win 6 individual World Championships? Well it's been done before and Mauger didn't start winning his 'til he was about 28. Nicki certainly got his stuff together this year, or maybe felt loads better after his arm ops, and looked to be able to raise his game at least another notch if he had to.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 G'day Shazz, an' howthaheckareya? Who you callin' a Funny ol' Sport? G'day Dave xxxx Shazzybird is 'avin 'an Aussie day t'day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Hannibal Thomas Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Schumi, actually Nielsen won 22 World titles. And Gundersen won 17. How many has Nicki won so far? Five, I think. He's nowhere near. All the best Rob Speedway was rather fickle in the days of Nielsen and Gundersen, todays World Championship is worth far more than a World Championship back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 (edited) Speedway was rather fickle in the days of Nielsen and Gundersen, todays World Championship is worth far more than a World Championship back then. I'd put it the other way around. It was much harder to win a World Championship in the 1980s. And even harder in the 1970s. There's only about 6 or 7 top class riders these days - look at the huge gulf between 6th and 8th in the GP standings as evidence. In the 1980s, there were far more. Nielsen, Gundersen, Pedersen, Knudsen, Carter, Wigg, Lee, Tatum, Penhall, Sigalos, S Moran, Ermolenko, Schwartz, Cook, Jonsson, Andersson, Nilsen, Sanders, Muller, etc, etc. I'm well aware I've left a few very good riders out of that list as well. Speedway was at the end of a boom period in the 1980s, with far young men wanting to give racing a go, hence the quality. All the best Rob Edited October 22, 2008 by lucifer sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff. Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 I'd put it the other way around. It was much harder to win a World Championship in the 1980s. And even harder in the 1970s. There's only about 6 or 7 top class riders these days - look at the huge gulf between 6th and 8th in the GP standings as evidence. In the 1980s, there were far more. Nielsen, Gundersen, Pedersen, Knudsen, Carter, Wigg, Lee, Tatum, Penhall, Sigalos, S Moran, Ermolenko, Schwartz, Cook, Jonsson, Andersson, Nilsen, Sanders, Muller, etc, etc. I'm well aware I've left a few very good riders out of that list as well. Speedway was at the end of a boom period in the 1980s, with far young men wanting to give racing a go, hence the quality. All the best Rob Well that list looks impessive. Which final did Penhall face, Jan O Pedersen in or Wigg or Tatum or Moran or Ermolenko etc. Dont recall the final were Carter faced Jan O or Per Jonsson. All you have done is taken a list of names from a period of about 15 years and lumped them as one big World Final field You could make a similar list of GP riders from over a similar period Nielsen, Knudsen, Wigg, Ermolenko, Nilsen, Rickardsson, Hamill, Hancock, Gollob, Crump, Pedersen, Adams, Sullivan, Loram, Havelock, Andy Smith etc. OK I am joking on the last one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21st century heathen Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 6 seems possible, but I think 7 will be extremely difficult for anyone to achieve. I see the next two going to either Pedersen or Crump, and then Andersen should be mounting a serious challenge. By then we'll have almost certainly lost Gollob, Hancock and Adams. I don't see the replacements being anywhere near ready to challenge at that point, so we could be looking at the top 4 (incl AJ) rather than 6 breaking clear at the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 (edited) But nowhere near with ability or charisma. Nielsen & Gundersen had charisma?! They kept them well hidden then. Nicki's got more personality in his missing fingers than either of those ever had. Fantastic riders though they were. Six titles? Hmmm...probably not, I'd say. I'd say Crump has one more in him in the next 1-3 years. I'd also say Hans Andersen will win it one year too, probably in 2-3 years. By my reasoning, that means Nicki will have to win 3 of the next 5. Not impossible, but a big ask. Surely he will succumb to injury at some point too. World Champion he may be, but is there any other GP rider who spends so much time falling on his a**e? Edited October 22, 2008 by falcace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21st century heathen Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 PUK - Always seems to get himself into 'trouble'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
home straight Posted October 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 I'd say Crump has one more in him in the next 1-3 years. Unfortunately I think we've seen the best of Crump at the very highest level. His best chance of another title is next year if, and it's a big if, Pedersen takes his foot off the gas, after that I can see Hans and AJ really coming to the fore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21st century heathen Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 I can't see AJ ever winning. He's got the talent but seems to lack the drive required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
home straight Posted October 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 I can't see AJ ever winning. He's got the talent but seems to lack the drive required. Perhaps not, but over the next few years we're going to lose Gollob, Adams and Hancock, Crump too possibly?, so almost by default he could find himself top 3, and you never know then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 All you have done is taken a list of names from a period of about 15 years and lumped them as one big World Final field Actually it's from a five-year period - 1982-1986. All the riders listed rode in one or more of these finals, apart from Jonsson who qualifed for his first world final in 1987, and Schwartz who unbelievably never reached a World Final (more evidence of just how tough it was back in those days). Now try seeing what kind of field you can put together from the last five years of the GP (e.g. 2004 onwards). You can bet it's not as strong. There was far more quality back in the 1980s. And then what about the 70s, when you had to be pretty much a 9.00 rider in the British League to get as far as the British Final yet alone the World Final. There are so few World Class riders about thes days, it's scary. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 There are so few World Class riders about thes days, it's scary. Well, that's right.. The question is, "why".. And when WILL the next rider come through to become 'world class'.. As you say, hasn't happened lately... Personally (and readers won't be surprised to hear this!! ) I think it's related to the closed-nature of the world championship. I personally think that under the old system someone like Eddie Kennett (the more eagle-eyed of you will have picked up on the fact that Eddie's my favourite!!! ) would've been incentivised to push on and challenge for a place in the international elite.. But I concede that, that could be fanciful.. The fact is though as Rob says, there IS a dearth of young riders coming through at the necessary level and I'd have thought that the great & the good MIGHT want to look into why that's the case... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Well, that's right.. The question is, "why".. One reason could be that there are maybe fewer riders today.Anders Michanek mentioned in his backtrack interview that there are now about 30% less Swedish riders than in his day.Riders are riding in 2/3/4 or more leagues and i guess taking up team spots that would have gone to a local rider 30 years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Crump is still good enough to win again but he needs a decent back up team or faster bikes or better set up .He looked pedestrian most of the season should not be getting past every GP.Bikes look dodgy IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 got to agree with rob.of the top 6 3 will be gone soon and crumpie only got a couple more years at the top level. this leaves nikki against hans . aj is not consistant. this means it needs half a dozen riders to come thru very soon. i dont do moaning about our sport but the future does look a bit scary. if theres no competition the gp series will die a death . especialy if sky get bored Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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