Steve Shovlar Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 (edited) Athletes and sportsmen in nearly all competitive sports have a certain lifespan at the topbefore old father time catches up with them. Even sports such as snooker, the top stars cant stay there forever. The only othe person I can think of to be around at the top as long as Hancock is Phil "The Power" Taylor, and theres a world of difference in the demands of darts compared to speedway. So how does he do it at 45? We know that as a person gets older self preservation comes into play. By the time riders get to 30-35 they won't take the risks they would have taken ten years earlier, when they thought themselves bullet proof. Add to that the body at 45 is well passed its prime, physically and mentally, then what we have here in Greg Hancock is a real sporting freak of nature. I recall Mauger winning his last title in his late 30's and thought that quite an achievement, but looking at Hancock today, easily rattling off a 21 point maximum proves he is still at the top of the sport. Now here's a thought. Would it be legal for a rider to take prescription drugs, prescribed by a doctor, which would take away all the fear factor of racing? We see other top riders like Crump, Trick, hans Neilsen, even Gollob, all call time on their racing careers much earlier than Greg. How does he possibly keep at the top of the sport? Edited October 24, 2015 by Steve Shovlar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 Blood transfusion from the everyoung Sir Cliff ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 I believe he injects himself with the blood of young gp riders to slow the ageing process, and regenerate himself before each round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwalker Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 Being a good gater is one reason, less chance of being involved in crash if you gate faster then the most of the other riders which means that he is less likely to become injured which together with being/staying fit is another reason. Something happened between 2010 and 2011 season. From 5th to 1st. Possible this was when monster stepped in with a sponsorship which I presume that he could spend on engines from PJR which I also think is a major reason to his return to the world top. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 HOLDER has the same engines as Hancock and Woffinden so his problems would appear to be with himself. Greg's diet and fitness regime has a lot do with it along with his utter passion for racing speedway. He just loves it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawkins20 Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 There is an even bigger question, how does Mrs Hancock holding up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 Hats of to Greg you really can't knock him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eglese 19 Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 Greg will go down as a legend of the sport. Funny hearing Crump talk about how Greg started before him and Crump burned out with Greg still going strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwalker Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 Greg will go down as a legend of the sport. Funny hearing Crump talk about how Greg started before him and Crump burned out with Greg still going strong. Sure but Crump had problems with injuries in his final years. IIRC, he had problems with a shoulder as well as a burn on his arm. The same goes for T-Rick who had concussion problems which forced him into retirement, Gollob have his back problems... So I think that is the key issue/difference. Greg have managed to stay healthy while those have not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkafag Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 Evidently Monster Energy Drinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 To miss just one GP with injury is remarkable. He's stayed injury free with his own brand / style of racing and its given him a long career. Plus being a excellent gater has kept him out of trouble. Compare with Chris Holder who could be finished as a GP rider after 2016 as his form is declining fast after several injuries and the mental scars of DWs crash. Hope he can turn things around but 2016 will be more competitive with a stronger top 15 than 2015. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 (edited) ...and this is the Greg Hancok career beginning... https://www.facebook.com/SpeedwayMotorcyclePhotos/photos/a.388022211255235.87417.388001481257308/1014773628580087/?type=3&theater Edited October 24, 2015 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 How does he possibly keep at the top of the sport? Easy answer if you believe in astrology - he's a Gemini, young at heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Posa is the absolute classic example of someone who defied age to stay at the top of his very demanding sport into his 60s.Keeping in control of a bike at speed on rutted ice is hard enough at a young age,let alone knocking on retirement age https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-Olof_Serenius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Posa is the absolute classic example of someone who defied age to stay at the top of his very demanding sport into his 60s.Keeping in control of a bike at speed on rutted ice is hard enough at a young age,let alone knocking on retirement age https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-Olof_Serenius It’s the Posa example which keeps me wondering exactly how long Greg could continue. If he manages to keep himself in shape, it’s not unreasonable that Greg could still be riding in five years’ time. It might be tough beyond that, because conventional speedway has more world class participants than its Ice Racing counterpart, in which the Russian Championship is probably tougher to win that the World Championship. Typically half the field in the Ice Racing Grand Prix are making up the numbers. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 It’s the Posa example which keeps me wondering exactly how long Greg could continue. If he manages to keep himself in shape, it’s not unreasonable that Greg could still be riding in five years’ time. It might be tough beyond that, because conventional speedway has more world class participants than its Ice Racing counterpart, in which the Russian Championship is probably tougher to win that the World Championship. Typically half the field in the Ice Racing Grand Prix are making up the numbers. All the best Rob Hear what you say Rob,but how old was Posa when he won his second world title?50 or so.......that takes some doing in a pysichally tough sport against the Russians alone without anyone else 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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