The Dominant Rider Of Their Time

[lucifer sam]

 

Of course he doesn't, but I stand by the argument that 1991-93 Ermolenko was the dominant rider.. a period only ended due to another serious injury, which allowed Nielsen to reclaim it in 94/95.

 

Jan O put it together on World Final night in 1991, but in the league he was 9.54.. Ermolenko 10.74. Nielsen 10.50. Ermolenko also won the BLRC in 91 of course, when the competition actually still meant something.

 

Surely the dominant rider is a combination of world form and league form.

 

The Danes were completely dominant in 1991, due to the twin spearhead of Jan O and Hans, and Tommy having a very good year as well. In the World Pairs, the Danes won easily, with Nielsen unbeaten. Hans was favourite for the World Final having cakewalked his semi-final with a maximum, but instead it was Jan O who deservedly won at Gothenburg with a brilliant, untroubled maximum. The World Team Cup saw the Danes set a new record total - I seem to recall Jan O scored another maximum, while Hans only dropped a single point.

 

Pedersen and Nielsen were the dominant riders of 1991. Pedersen won a clean sweep of world honours; Nielsen won the World Team Cup and World Pairs. What international honours did Sam win in 1991?

 

Jan O's sad injury, plus Nielsen suffering a collarbone injury which led to his elimination, created a vacuum in 1992. That season the USA did win the pairs and team events, but wasn't it Greg who came in mid-meeting and won the pairs for the Americans, defeating Havvy in the run-off? No one rider dominated 1992, but the best rider overall was probably Jonsson, the World No 2 that year. Didn't Sam have a shocker of a World Final? And Havelock had one hell of a run in the World Championship.

 

Sam was the best rider in 1993, without any question at all. But I think that was the only season where he was the best rider in the world.

 

All the best

Rob