PEDERSEN: LOVE OF RACING KEEPS ME IN THE SADDLE

Triple world champion Nicki Pedersen insists his 2022 injury setback was never going to force him out of the saddle.

The Speedway GP legend suffered a badly broken hip and pelvis in a PGE Ekstraliga crash in Grudziadz last June. His injuries could have ended the 45-year-old’s career, but incredibly, Pedersen’s training for 2023 continues apace.

The former Eastbourne star is preparing for a remarkably busy season after taking over from Hans Nielsen as Danish team manager ahead of July’s FIM Speedway World Cup in Wroclaw. He’s also set to race for Holsted in his homeland and PGE Ekstraliga side Grudziadz in Poland. On top of that, the Odense-born ace is starring with his family in new Kanal 5 and Discovery+ reality show Team Pedersen, taking viewers behind the scenes of both his racing and life away from the sport.

While being Danish boss and a TV star would have been enough for some, Pedersen admits he still loves life on the track and refuses to let injuries call time on his career.

He said: “Before when I have broken my neck two times, everybody was thinking ‘okay, he’ll retire now. He has done his bit.’ It would have been a fair way to stop, but I don’t want to.

“I still love this sport and it’s my income. It’s part of me. I still feel I put a lot into the sport. I don’t do it because of other people. I do it for myself because I can, because I enjoy it and because I love it. I still feel I have things to put into the sport.

“I know the head is alright, as it always has been. I am pretty strong in my head. I haven’t had any doubts as to whether I can race the bike again or not. I haven’t thought about whether it’s going to be painful or not. I am not in any pain, so why should the pain come when I start racing?

“Everything is healed up properly, which is good. I don’t have any pain at the moment at all when I am training. I just need to get fit again, get back on the bike and focus on the racing.”

Pedersen admits he has had to train smart since breaking his hip. He said: “I usually run a lot. I like running. But at the moment, I am cycling instead. It’s not that I have any pain, but in the long term, it’s about not doing damage and not letting the pain return to the pelvis.

“I broke the pelvis, and the left leg went through it. It’s in the right place, but instead of pushing it when you are running, it’s better to put less pressure on the pelvis by cycling.”