TRACK legend Nicki Pedersen has ended his UK comeback after 1 meeting leaving top-flight Peterborough to scour the world for a replacement.
It’s a staggering about-turn by the 46-year-old Dane who was confident that he could happily combine racing careers in Denmark, Poland and the UK as well as his new duties as his country’s national team boss.
But, after crashing on his comeback debut for Peterborough, he has admitted that it is all too much for him and he’s told the club he won’t be back.
It’s a massive blow for the Panthers who have spent the last fortnight trying to change his mind or find a replacement, so far without success.
They will operate rider replacement for him on their visit to Leicester tomorrow night (Thursday) but are set on finding a replacement as soon as possible.
Pedersen, who last raced regularly in this country for the Panthers in 2011, told the promotion that he has had to rethink his future and he now realises that he isn’t up to the challenge all the additional travel and wear and tear on his body will bring.
He hadn’t ridden for nearly nine months after breaking his pelvis in a crash in Poland last June and his British comeback was painful, suffering back and hand injuries after crashing on the second bend of his opening Premiership race against Ipswich on March 27.
Paramedics ruled him out of the rest of the meeting as Peterborough lost their first match of the season but he was back in action in Poland over the weekend.
And he proved his fitness with an 18 point maximum for Ekstraliga Grudziadz to become the oldest rider ever to go unbeaten in all six rides.
Words by Holeshot Media.
Images by Jeff Davies