'Hopefully we can bring the next golden era' - Mikkel Michelsen gunning for world Speedway title
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ByEurosport
Published 03/06/2022 at 07:09 GMT
Denmark are hungry for a world champion in speedway, says Danish star Leon Madsen. And Mikkel Michelsen says he, or compatriots Madsen and Anders Thomsen are in a position to usher in another golden era for the Scandinavian country following in the footsteps of the great Erik Gundersen, Hans Nielsen and Jan O. Pedersen. The 2022 Speedway Grand Prix is available live and ad-free on discovery+
'Hungry for a world champion' - Madsen eager to end Denmark speedway drought
Mikkel Michelsen says Danish speedway is in rude health, and adds that he, Leon Madsen and Anders Thomsen, can usher in another era of Danish supremacy.
Denmark has a rich speedway history. The Scandinavian country dominated the sport in the 1980s and early 90s, with Erik Gundersen, Hans Nielsen and Jan O. Pedersen collecting seven Individual Speedway World Championship crowns over an eight-year period between 1984 and 1991.
Nielsen then went on to win the first iteration of the Grand Prix series - in 1995 - and while further wins would follow for another Danish stat - Nicki Pedersen - in 2003, 2007 and 2008, the Danish stranglehold over the sport has waned since.
However, after three round of racings Madsen sits third, Michelsen fourth and Thomsen 10th ahead of the Teterow round in Germany, and Michelsen - a two-time European champion - says that Danish speedway is in rude health, and hopefully on the cusp of another golden era.
"I think we are in a better place than what we've been you know, we have got three riders in the world championship,” said Michelsen.
“I think that's great. You know, it's great for us as riders but it's great for Speedway in Denmark and growing the interest in speedway. But hopefully we can bring the next new golden era.”
Meanwhile, Madsen, who finished second behind Bartosz Zmarzlik by just two points in 2019, hopes to go one better in 2022 and quench Denmark's thirst for a world champion.
“Denmark are really hungry for a world champion,” added Madsen.
“The country needs to have a world champion. And it's been quite some years since we had a world champion when Nicki won it and hopefully, I can win it sooner rather than later.”
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The 2022 Speedway Grand Prix is available live and ad-free on discovery+
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