21st century heathen Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 I don't doubt a single word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 This episode is rarely if ever mentioned in the endless Nielsen/Gundersen debate. Olsen named Nielsen as reserve for the meeting at Oxford, I know he came out on parade but I don't remember if he rode, you would need Rob Peasley for the detail. It was an awkward and unnecessary thing, and robbed the public of seeing Nielsen in his proper role on the day. Not sure it is quite so forgotten as you insinuate.I or others have mentioned it a few times here.It was my first visit to Oxford for about 10 years and like you say the public was screwed really.Nielsen was i would say the best rider in the world at Cowley,so for him to be reserve and just get two rides near the end of the meeting was a small scandal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Not sure it is quite so forgotten as you insinuate.I or others have mentioned it a few times here.It was my first visit to Oxford for about 10 years and like you say the public was screwed really.Nielsen was i would say the best rider in the world at Cowley,so for him to be reserve and just get two rides near the end of the meeting was a small scandal I no Preben Eriksen was a very hard rider,sure him and Simmo had a bit of history.Think Eriksen was involved in a crash in which Kelvin Tatum broke his leg,Simmo took exception to this.Therefore after there was always a bit of needle between them think so anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Eriksen was hard, borderline dirty, pretty sure it was him who put carter in hospital in the lead up to the 82 world final. On neilsen gundersen. I recall after the neilsen knudsen incident in the 86 final gundrsen coming out with a comment along the lines of "if Hans is going to race like that he should go into stock cars!" needless to say, Hans wasnot impressed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Eriksen was hard, borderline dirty, pretty sure it was him who put carter in hospital in the lead up to the 82 world final. On neilsen gundersen. I recall after the neilsen knudsen incident in the 86 final gundrsen coming out with a comment along the lines of "if Hans is going to race like that he should go into stock cars!" needless to say, Hans wasnot impressed! I think the Nielsen v Knudsen races were very tough, if anything before the 1986 final.Tommy was a terrific talent,see him at aged 16 he would nearly be up with Lee and P.C at a young age.Knudsen broke his back, but came back and rode at a high level.Always thought there was more of a rivary between those two rather than Gundersen and Nielsen.Even when Knudsen came back after the back injury he was one of the few who could beat Nielsen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Yeah, knudsen was very good - strong parallels betweenhis and carter's careers. both had their best world final placing on debut in 81, both desperately unlucky with injuries, and both denied world titles by controversial -though prob correct- refereeing decisions after clawing with the eventual champion. both very good but I'd rate carter above knudsen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Yeah, knudsen was very good - strong parallels betweenhis and carter's careers. both had their best world final placing on debut in 81, both desperately unlucky with injuries, and both denied world titles by controversial -though prob correct- refereeing decisions after clawing with the eventual champion. both very good but I'd rate carter above knudsen Waihekeaces1 ive watched the 1986 incident time and time again changed my mind endless times.Whats your take,at the time i wasnt a big Nielsen fan so i was a bit blinded then.But looking back how wrong i was Nielsen was a terrific rider and i see alot of him.What surprised me later in his career he was exciting as i had only thought of him as a gater.He mastered Hyde rd as i always said he would never win a b.l.r.c but of course he did.Up there with Ole for greatness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpartialOne Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Up there with Ole for greatness? Easily. I'd say up there with Mauger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Would of been a tussle never see him but IVOR could mix it a bit i think. There was great rivalry between teammates Ivor Brown and Harry Bastable at Cradley Heath in the early 60’s. The two even went as far as wearing a white top over their leathers to see who could keep it cleanest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Easily. I'd say up there with Mauger. Not quite,in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpartialOne Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Not quite,in my opinion. It's debatable, in fact I think a thread was done on the two, but although Mauger won 9 individual titles to Nielsen's 4, Nielsen won 22 world titles in total and I believe Mauger "only" won 15. This of course was aided by the fact that Denmark were far stronger in Nielsen's time than NZ probably ever were. However, I think Nielsen's achievements easily put Olsen, as legendary as he was, in the shade. Edited November 12, 2011 by ImpartialOne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 It's debatable, in fact I think a thread was done on the two, but although Mauger won 9 individual titles to Nielsen's 4, Nielsen won 22 world titles in total and I believe Mauger "only" won 15. This of course was aided by the fact that Denmark were far stronger in Nielsen's time than NZ probably ever were. However, I think Nielsen's achievements easily put Olsen, as legendary as he was, in the shade. Cant have that Olsen what a rider ,terrific style great team man . My top 3 danes ever 1.Olsen 2./Erik 3.Hans .The only reason i cant rate Hans in the Mauger Briggs Olsen mould is because i dont believe he would of won as much if Lee, Carter, Sanders, Sigalos, Penhall hadnt gone off the scene.Not Nielsen,s fault of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpartialOne Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Cant have that Olsen what a rider ,terrific style great team man . My top 3 danes ever 1.Olsen 2./Erik 3.Hans .The only reason i cant rate Hans in the Mauger Briggs Olsen mould is because i dont believe he would of won as much if Lee, Carter, Sanders, Sigalos, Penhall hadnt gone off the scene.Not Nielsen,s fault of course. It's my opinion, of course you can have it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 It's my opinion, of course you can have it Yes you are correct your opinion and you are entitled to it.But legend is a big statement, but Olsen certainly was i dont think Nielsen quite was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpartialOne Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Yes you are correct your opinion and you are entitled to it.But legend is a big statement, but Olsen certainly was i dont think Nielsen quite was. It was Olsen I was calling a legend How did Nielsen just miss the cut of legends? He must have been gutted to come so close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Yes you are correct your opinion and you are entitled to it.But legend is a big statement, but Olsen certainly was i dont think Nielsen quite was. I can't quite see that - how can Nielsen with 22 FIM World Championship Gold Medals not be a legend? And before you say the majority of those were with Denmark, remember Nielsen often led the way in those Danish victories, starting with the 1978 WTC. In 1978, Olsen was at the top of his game, but guess who out-scored him in the 1978 WTC Final? An 18-year-old Hans Nielsen. Olsen was never the best rider of his generation (that honour went to Ivan Mauger), while Nielsen was the best of his. Gundersen matched Nielsen on the World stage, but it was Nielsen who dominated complete seasons in the way Mauger had, topping the BL averages for seasons on end. Olsen always seemed concerned that Nielsen may surpass his own achievements and indeed that is what happened. In fact, Gundersen surpassed Olsen as well in my book. I would rate the Danes: 1. Nielsen 2. Gundersen 3. Olsen 4. J.Pedersen 5. N.Pedersen. All the best Rob Edited November 12, 2011 by lucifer sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 I can't quite see that - how can Nielsen with 22 FIM World Championship Gold Medals not be a legend? And before you say the majority of those were with Denmark, remember Nielsen often led the way in those Danish victories, starting with the 1978 WTC. In 1978, Olsen was at the top of his game, but guess who out-scored him in the 1978 WTC Final? An 18-year-old Hans Nielsen. Olsen was never the best rider of his generation (that honour went to Ivan Mauger), while Nielsen was the best of his. Gundersen matched Nielsen on the World stage, but it was Nielsen who dominated complete seasons in the way Mauger had, topping the BL averages for seasons on end. Olsen always seemed concerned that Nielsen may surpass his own achievements and indeed that is what happened. In fact, Gundersen surpassed Olsen as well in my book. I would rate the Danes: 1. Nielsen 2. Gundersen 3. Olsen 4. J.Pedersen 5. N.Pedersen. All the best Rob Erik always had Nielsens number,forget the 22 medals did he do it when Penhall was about[no].He got lucky when Lee,Sigalos,Sanders Penhall Carter went.Lee and Penhall were better than Nielsen the others i named were on a par at least. Olsen well he was a master, he rode with legends like Briggs,Mauger,Michanek, a mega era and Lee and Collins were awesome after that. Who was the threat to Nielsen 1?Erik and Erik mastered him. Dont get me wrong Hans was good,it was just the opposition wasnt as strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpartialOne Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Forget the 22 medals did he do it when Penhall was about[no].He got lucky That's amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Erik always had Nielsens number It swapped after Hans won his first individual title in 1986. Erik had the psychological advantage until then, but then Hans won three of the last four titles before Erik's injury. The only time Erik got the better of Hans once Hans was World Champion was the 1988 World Final - otherwise it was all Hans from 1986 onwards. But for Olsen's interference in helping out Erik despite being the Danish team manager (conflict of interests, or what?), I think Hans would have won his first World title sooner (especially if you consider the "team orders" Olsen gave to Knudsen in 1985 to wipe Nielsen out ). Olsen wanted to stop Nielsen, because he knew he could beat his record, which of course he did. Nielsen dominated in a way that Olsen never did. All the best Rob Edited November 12, 2011 by lucifer sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Not forgetting his perfect 12.00 away average in 1986 . 11.83 overall...bloody awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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