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MAN CITY ICON LAPORTE FOLLOWS "CRAZY" BELLEGO'S CAREER

French racer David Bellego has revealed old friend and Manchester City football icon Aymeric Laporte follows his fortunes on the track, but thinks the Sheffield star is “crazy.” The pair went to school together in south west France, with Laporte now one of the Premier League’s top defenders for champions Man City, as well as representing the Spanish national side. Meanwhile, Bellego is breaking new ground in the speedway world for France after leading his country to their first-ever world team final in the 2021 FIM Speedway of Nations. He looks set to lead France into their first-ever FIM Speedway World Cup tournament in Wroclaw from July 25-29. While Laporte plies his trade at the Etihad Stadium, Bellego will be racing just across the Pennines at Sheffield’s Owlerton home in the SGB Premiership this summer. He admits Laporte may pay him a visit when he makes the trip to Manchester to face Belle Vue, and Bellego says the pair follow each other’s progress in two very different sports. He told Speedway Star: “Aymeric and I were at school together, so we have been friends for some time now. We were in the same class and year. We played football together a lot at school. “Obviously I’m doing my thing and he is doing his thing. But he actually follows what I do, and I see how he is getting on at Manchester City. “I have a very good mate who is his best friend. So he kept saying when I come to race in Manchester, he will come and watch. “So a couple of years ago I was at Belle Vue for Swindon and Aymeric came to watch. We went back to his house afterwards and we had some food. "He was meant to come back for the Speedway of Nations, but his schedule was too busy that weekend. I think he will come back to see me this season now. “Every time he watches me, he tells me that ‘you are crazy.’ But he also loves bikes. He’s a very humble guy. “I was good at football. I’m not going to say I could sign for a club, but I always wanted to race bikes!”

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NIELSEN: COACHING DANES WAS FULL-TIME JOB FOR ME

Danish legend Hans Nielsen believes combining racing and running the national side will be no easy task for Nicki Pedersen. The triple Speedway GP world champion replaces four-time world champion Nielsen as Danish team manager ahead of the FIM Speedway World Cup’s return in Wroclaw from July 25-29. Nielsen – winner of 22 individual and world team titles as a rider – took charge of the Danes in 2016, winning two FIM Speedway of Nations bronze medals, before stepping down shortly before his team took fourth place in last year’s FIM SON Final at Vojens on July 30. Four-time FIM SWC winner Pedersen will lead the preparations for this summer’s FIM SWC along with Nielsen’s former assistant coach Henrik Moller, and could even ride in the tournament, having named himself on the Elite B squad list. Alongside his new managerial commitments, Pedersen will be racing for Danish club Holsted, Polish PGE Ekstraliga team Grudziadz and British side Peterborough. He is also starring in reality TV show, Team Pedersen, which features his family, on Denmark’s Kanal 5 and Discovery+. With so much on his plate, Nielsen admits he is surprised Denmark’s Motor Union appointed an active rider for what he feels is a deceptively demanding role. He said: “Obviously I was surprised that they picked someone who was riding at the same time. I know how busy I have been, and I feel like it has been a full-time job. I find it hard to see how he has time to do it at the same time as riding. “But obviously that’s their choice and they feel they can make it work. It’s important that he has Henrik Moller as an assistant because he is going to be a little busier than he was before with Nicki having to ride too. There probably will be more for Henrik to look after. “When I took the job, I didn’t think it would be too hard, but it was certainly a lot more work than I expected. I think Nicki will find it the same way." Nielsen admits Pedersen’s role as an active rider could also have its advantages over a team manager who may have retired many years ago or one who has never competed on two wheels. He said: “The fact he’s still riding means he’s right in there when it comes to equipment. Hopefully that can be an advantage in some cases, and he can help the team out.”

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HOLDER: TIME FOR NEXT AUSSIE GENERATION TO SHINE

FIM Speedway of Nations world champion Jack Holder is backing a new generation of Aussie stars to emerge following Jason Doyle’s decision to step down from the national side. Holder joined forces with Speedway GP rival Max Fricke to end Australia’s 20-year wait for a world team title when they beat Great Britain in the FIM SON Grand Final at Vojens on July 30. Former world champion Jason Doyle competed in the Semi-Final but didn’t take to the track in the Final as team manager Mark Lemon kept faith with Holder and Fricke. Doyle recently announced his retirement from national team duty, handing the gauntlet to a new generation of Aussies to go for FIM Speedway World Cup gold in Polish city Wroclaw from July 25-29. With five riders needed as the FIM SWC returns for the first time since 2017, the likes of Brady Kurtz, Rohan Tungate, Sam Masters and Jaimon Lidsey will be fighting for places, along with 2012 world champion Chris Holder. Holder is still confident the Roos have the firepower to push for a team-title double. Asked about Doyle’s decision to step down, he said: “That’s his own decision and obviously he can do what he likes. He has been there for a while now and it’s his choice to step down. “It’s the time when we needed every Australian as we go back to the SWC format. But it opens up the door for a few other youngsters and it should be good. We are Australian and we always fight to the death. There are plenty of options. We have plenty of depth in Australian speedway. There are a few of us over there wanting to represent our country.” Lublin and Sheffield star Holder can’t wait for the chance to swap his Speedway GP and club kevlars for the Aussie green and gold. He added: “It’s a good week where we take a step back from racing each other, put on the Aussie suit and race for our country. It’s always a good laugh. “We want to go there and win it again. We have the depth to do it and we are not going there to finish last – that’s for sure. “Everyone steps it up a level and we are the world champions from the Speedway of Nations. Hopefully we can do it all again.”

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NIELSEN CONTENT WITH STINT AS DANISH NATIONAL BOSS

Speedway GP legend Hans Nielsen says he’s “very happy with the job I have done” as Danish team manager, despite missing out on his 23rd FIM Speedway gold medal. The Professor won four individual world titles, seven FIM Speedway World Pairs crowns and an incredible 11 FIM Speedway World Team Cups with Denmark as a rider. Nielsen collected two FIM Speedway of Nations bronze medals as a coach in 2020 and 2021 but fell short of winning Denmark’s first gold since their 2014 FIM Speedway World Cup victory at Bydgoszcz. Asked if he regretted anything after missing out on world-glory as a manager, Nielsen said: “I don’t know about regrets or whether I could have done anything different. I am not really sure and can’t really put my finger on anything. “I enjoyed it. It has been hard work and a lot of travelling. Sure, it was a lot of pressure, and it was tough getting to know everybody when I first came in. There were a few stumbling blocks along the way. You have to expect that as a manager. “I wouldn’t say there’s one thing I would have done differently. I think I have done the best I can and I am very happy with the job I have done. “We never unfortunately won the Speedway of Nations. But with Leon picking up a couple of silver medals in those years, I helped out as much as I could there, as well as all the others who were in the Grand Prix.” Nielsen admits he takes pride in the Danish training camps he organised as riders headed for sunnier climes to warm up for the season. He said: “One of the great things was going off during the winter on our training camps. That’s one of the big things that have been new since I took over. The lads really enjoy that. “It would have been nice if we could have had the under-21s with us as well, but it’s an expensive trip. With finance not incredibly good at the DMU, we couldn’t all go. But we did get some sponsors helping out over the last few years. It’s a lot of work. You have to get sponsors and you have to get organised for trips, but that’s part of the job.”

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PEDERSEN READY TO PUT "BUMS ON SEATS" IN BRITAIN AFTER SEALING PETERBOROUGH RETURN

Triple world champion Nicki Pedersen has completed a sensational return to British racing with SGB Premiership side Peterborough. Pedersen last appeared in the UK with the Panthers in 2011 and is set for an extremely busy season. He will also race for Polish side Grudziadz and Danish team Holsted, as well as managing the Danish national side and appearing in Discovery+ and Kanal 5 reality TV series Team Pedersen. There’s no doubt Pedersen’s comeback is another huge step forward for a league, which has already regained Belle Vue’s double Speedway GP winner Dan Bewley and Ipswich’s former world No.3 Emil Sayfutdinov this winter. Aussie Speedway GP trio Jason Doyle, Max Fricke and Jack Holder will also compete in the SGB Premiership. Pedersen is delighted to be joining forces with a club, whose starting line-up also features former Danish international teammates Niels-Kristian Iversen and Hans Andersen, SGP2 star Benjamin Basso, Richie Worrall, Ben Cook and Jordan Jenkins. The Odense-born ace hopes his arrival will enthuse fans at the East of England Showground. He said: “I’m pretty sure I can excite a few fans over there on and off the track! “One of the feelings that felt good in my stomach was the impression of what I can bring to British Speedway and to the fans, especially the Peterborough Panthers fans. “I still have many friends there, people who I know and remember, so there will be bums on seats as we always say, and good racing! But also off the track the fans can have a chat with me, and those are the things you can’t buy for money, so hopefully I’m going to put some positivity into everything. We want to lift the Peterborough Panthers to the next level.” The 45-year-old admits he gets on well with Panthers owner Keith ‘Buster’ Chapman. He said: “Buster and me, and also his wife, we’ve always had a good relationship. I’ve always respected him, and he has always respected me. I even remember four or five years ago he came to Torun for the GP; we hadn’t seen each other for many years, and they just love me to pieces. I’ve always done my work for them. I’ve never let them down and I’ve got such respect for people like that. “When the Peterborough opportunity came up, I said to him, ‘give me a couple of days, let me think about it, because I need to feel good in my stomach.’ I needed to sleep on things, and every day I was waking up thinking ‘this might be interesting.’” Chapman is delighted to have Pedersen in Panthers colours. He said: “I’m so pleased Nicki will be riding for Peterborough. I’ve known him for many, many years. Ever since he first came to England, I have had a lot of respect for him, and it’s going to be good to work with him. “What you get with Nicki is a racer from the heart, and that’s what I love about him. He’s a lovely guy off the track. On the track he’s a different person, and he’s great to have around. “I’m pleased he took the time to talk to us and consider us, and in the end came forward and agreed. I know how busy he is this year, and there were non-stop phone calls and messages to each other, but it was worth it in the end. “You have to keep pushing things, and with the mutual respect that exists between us, we are both honest with each other about what we expect. “Nicki has always been so good with the public, and that’s what has always impressed me about him. I’ve seen him at GPs talking to fans outside the pits, and in towns, and he’s always approachable. “The only difference is when he’s racing because that’s when his head is in gear for that. He’s not difficult; he’s just the ultimate professional, and I’m very excited to bring him in.” There are concerns over Panthers’ long-term future with their Showground home set to be redeveloped, possibly after the end of the 2023 season. If this year proves the club’s last there, Chapman is determined to see Peterborough depart in style. He said: “We know this may be our last season at the Showground, and if that’s the case I want to go out with a bang there and do the public proud, and this hopefully will push us on to do that.”

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MAN CITY ICON LAPORTE FOLLOWS "CRAZY" BELLEGO'S CAREER

NIELSEN: COACHING DANES WAS FULL-TIME JOB FOR ME

HOLDER: TIME FOR NEXT AUSSIE GENERATION TO SHINE

NIELSEN CONTENT WITH STINT AS DANISH NATIONAL BOSS

PEDERSEN READY TO PUT "BUMS ON SEATS" IN BRITAIN AFTER SEALING PETERBOROUGH RETURN