Hans Nielsen (speedway rider)
Encyclopedia
Hans Hollen Nielsen - a prominent speedway
rider active from the 1970s to the late 1990s; a former World Champion
.
Nielsen was one of the most successful riders the sport has ever seen. Altogether he participated in winning 22 World Championships for Denmark. This included the individual World Championship
in 1986, 1987, 1989 and the first ever championship ran in the Grand Prix format in 1995
. He still holds the record for the most FIM Gold Medals in Speedway.
He was known as "The Main Dane" to fans but referred to as "The Professor" by his fellow riders due to his immaculate style and ability to ride speedway.
Nielsen rode in the British League
for the Oxford Cheetahs
from 1984 to 1992. In 1986 he recorded a league average of 11.83, his average in away league matches that season was a perfect 12.00.
He retired still capable of beating the best and many feel he was the greatest rider of all time despite only having four individual world titles to his name.
After retiring, he never stayed in the sport and returned to Denmark where he continued his good golf game in his spare time.
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider active from the 1970s to the late 1990s; a former World Champion
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
.
Nielsen was one of the most successful riders the sport has ever seen. Altogether he participated in winning 22 World Championships for Denmark. This included the individual World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
in 1986, 1987, 1989 and the first ever championship ran in the Grand Prix format in 1995
1995 Speedway Grand Prix
The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :...
. He still holds the record for the most FIM Gold Medals in Speedway.
He was known as "The Main Dane" to fans but referred to as "The Professor" by his fellow riders due to his immaculate style and ability to ride speedway.
Nielsen rode in the British League
Speedway British League
The British League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1995 when it became known as the Premier League. Prior to 1965 the division had been known as the National League....
for the Oxford Cheetahs
Oxford Cheetahs
The Oxford Cheetahs were a British Speedway team based in Oxford, England. From 1972 to 1975 they were known as Oxford Rebels, which was the name the team took to White City in 1976 as White City Rebels. The new Oxford team, in the National League, took back the name of Cheetahs...
from 1984 to 1992. In 1986 he recorded a league average of 11.83, his average in away league matches that season was a perfect 12.00.
He retired still capable of beating the best and many feel he was the greatest rider of all time despite only having four individual world titles to his name.
After retiring, he never stayed in the sport and returned to Denmark where he continued his good golf game in his spare time.
World final appearances
- 19801980 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1980 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 5, 1980 Göteborg, Ullevi...
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Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 11th - 7pts - 19811981 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1981 Individual Speedway World Championship.1981 was the last of a record 26 times that London's famous Wembley Stadium hosted the World Final.-World final:*September 5, 1981 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: Sam Bass-Heat Results:...
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United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 9th - 6pts - 19821982 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1982 Individual Speedway World Championship.1982 was the only time the Individual World Final was held outside of the United Kingdom or Europe before the advent of the Speedway Grand Prix series in 1995.-World final:...
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United States Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles Memorial ColiseumThe Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
- 7th - 8pts - 19831983 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1983 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 4, 1983 Norden, Motodrom Halbemond*Referee: Rolf RandborgKarl Maier replaced the injured Petr Ondrašík-Classification:...
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Germany NordenNorden, Lower SaxonyNorden is a town in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea shore, in East Frisia.-External links:* *...
, Motodrom Halbemond - 7th - 9pts - 19841984 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1984 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 1, 1984 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 2nd - 13pts + 3pts - 19851985 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1985 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 31, 1985 Bradford, Odsal Stadium...
- United Kingdom BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Odsal StadiumOdsal StadiumOdsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
- 2nd - 13pts + 2pts - 19861986 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1986 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 30, 1986 Chorzów, Silesian Stadium...
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Poland ChorzówChorzówChorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, Silesian Stadium - Winner - 14pts - 19871987 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1987 Individual Speedway World Championship was contested for the one and only time over two days. The scores from both meetings were combined to produce the eventual winner.-Day 1:*September 5, 1987 Amsterdam, Olympic Stadium-Day 2:...
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Netherlands AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Olympic Stadium - Winner - 27pts - 19881988 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1988 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 3, 1988 Vojens, Vojens Speedway Center...
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Denmark VojensVojensVojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
, Speedway Center - 2nd - 14pts + 2pts - 19891989 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1989 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 2, 1989 Munich, Olympic Stadium*Referee: Henry van den Boomen* Troy Butler replaced the injured Jan O. Pedersen-Classification:...
- Germany MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Olympic StadiumOlympic Stadium (Munich)Olympiastadion is a stadium located in Munich, Germany. Situated at the heart of the Olympiapark München in northern Munich, the stadium was built as the main venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics....
- Winner - 15pts - 19901990 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Continental Final:*August 12, 1990 Norden, Motodrom Halbemond-North American Final:*June 2, 1990 Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium-Scandinavian Final:*June 9, 1990 Linköping, Motorstadium...
- United Kingdom BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Odsal StadiumOdsal StadiumOdsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
- 4th - 11pts - 19911991 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1991 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 31, 1991 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 3rd - 11pts + 3pts - 19931993 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1993 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 29, 1993 Pocking, Rottalstadion...
- Germany PockingPockingPocking is a town in the district of Passau, in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is situated about 30 km south-west of Passau, close to the Austrian border.-History:...
, Rottalstadion - 2nd - 11pts + 3pts - 19941994 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1994 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Scandinavian Series:Riders from Scandinavia, i.e. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland competed. The top 8 in Swedish Semi Finals advanced to the Swedish Final. The top 5 in the Swedish Final advanced to the Scandinavian Final. The Danish Final was...
- Denmark VojensVojensVojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
, Speedway Center - 2nd - 12pts + 2pts
Speedway Grand Prix results
| Year | Position | Points | Best Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 1995 Speedway Grand Prix The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :... |
1st | 103 | 1st | Won in Vojens |
| 1996 1996 Speedway Grand Prix The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season was the second season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Billy Hamill; it was his first and only World Champion title.- Event format :... |
2nd | 111 | 1st | Won in Italy & Germany |
| 1997 1997 Speedway Grand Prix The 1997 Speedway Grand Prix season was the third season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :During 1997 the initial SGP scoring system was used for the final time... |
7th | 75 | 1st | Won in Germany |
| 1998 1998 Speedway Grand Prix The 1998 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fourth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system used was a new one for the 4th SGP season with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
4th | 76 | 1st | Won in Vojens |
| 1999 1999 Speedway Grand Prix The 1999 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fifth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
3rd | 76 | 1st | Won in Poland |