NIELSEN TO STEP DOWN AS DANISH BOSS AFTER FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS FINAL IN VOJENS

Danish legend Hans Nielsen has confirmed Saturday’s FIM Speedway of Nations Final in Vojens will be his last event as national team manager.

Nielsen announced the decision on Thursday morning, less than 24 hours after revealing that Speedway GP trio Leon Madsen, Mikkel Michelsen and Anders Thomsen will fly the flag for the hosts in the FIM SON Final at Denmark’s national speedway stadium.

Having won four world individual titles, 11 FIM World Team Cups and seven FIM World Pairs Championships as a rider, Nielsen is one of the most decorated athletes in Danish sporting history.

He is yet to win his first world title as national coach and hopes to deliver that on Saturday. But the first-ever Speedway GP world champion admits he is keen to go out on a high while his passion for the sport burns bright.

Nielsen said: “My life has always revolved around speedway and I can be proud of a really great career both as a rider with 22 world titles and over six years as a national coach.

“But I also feel that the time has come to turn down the throttle, so to speak, and put aside the role of national coach, while the passion for the sport is still there.

“I am very comfortable about stopping now because for the past six years we have worked hard and made Denmark a leading nation in speedway.

“The future prospects for Denmark’s speedway elite are also very bright with three Grand Prix riders currently doing well, and then we have a number of talents who will make their mark at the top level within the next few years.”

Denmark’s Motor Union chairman Jørgen Bitsch paid tribute to Nielsen for his contribution to the national side as a coach.

He said: “Hans Nielsen has done a fantastic job with our speedway elite, and we will miss Hans on the national coaching team.

“But of course I fully understand his desire to step down from the role of national coach. On behalf of the Danish Motor Union, the national team riders and the entire speedway sport, a huge thank you must go to Hans for his work and results.”

The DMU is set to hold talks to decide on a successor for Nielsen. Bitsch added: “Now we at DMU want to discuss the future plans for our elite setup internally and together with Team Denmark, so that we find the optimal solution for Danish speedway.”

Nielsen takes charge of the Danes for Friday’s SON2 event as he bids to lift the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship with young guns Benjamin Basso, Kevin Juhl Pedersen and Jonas Knudsen. The seniors then go for gold in the FIM SON Final on Saturday.

Tickets for all three remaining nights of the FIM SON are available online now. Visit: https://www.billetlugen.dk/eventseries/3187803/?affiliate=WW2