Jan Osvald Pedersen (born 9 November 1962 in Middelfart, Denmark)[1] is a former Speedway rider who became Speedway World Champion in 1991 after finishing runner-up in 1986 and in third place in 1988 behind fellow Danes Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen. He also won the Speedway World Pairs Championship in 1990 and 1991, both times partnered by Hans Nielsen.[2][3] He earned 42 caps for the Denmark national speedway team.[4]
| Born | 9 November 1962 Middelfart, Denmark |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Danish |
| Career history | |
| 1983, 1985-1992 | Cradley Heathens |
| 1984 | Sheffield Tigers |
| Individual honours | |
| 1991 | World Individual Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991 | World Team Cup winner |
| 1990, 1991 | World Pairs Champion |
| 1983 | British League Champion |
| 1983 | British League KO Cup winner |
| 1983 | Midland Cup winner |
| Competition record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Denmark
| ||
| Speedway World Championship | ||
 |
1991 | |
 |
1986 | |
 |
1988 | |
| Speedway World Team Cup | ||
|
1986 | |
|
1987 | |
|
1988 | |
|
1991 | |
| Speedway World Pairs Championship | ||
|
1990 | |
|
1991 | |
| Intercontinental Cup | ||
|
1988 | |
| Speedway Champions Cup | ||
|
1989 | |
| Long Track World Championship | ||
|
1991 | |
Career
editIn 1982 Pedersen signed for the Cradley Heathens[5] but did not ride until the following season when his first British meeting heralded a five-point return in Birmingham's Second City individual Trophy on 18 March. His future had been plotted for Dudley Wood almost a year earlier when he was recommended to Heathens team manager Peter Adams by his countryman, Bent Rasmussen. The ensuing months brought three more clubs knocking on his door but in August, Pedersen publicly pledged his future to Cradley.[6]
Pedersen finished his debut season with a 7.20 league average and Cradley's team total soared over 60-plus points as they won the British League and cup double again and the Midland Cup.[7] The decision was then made by new manager Colin Pratt to loan the Dane out and he spent 1984 with Sheffield. Despite that season being marred by a broken arm, he did enough to convince Tigers' promoter Maurice Ducker that he was worth buying. However, Pratt refused to sell and Pedersen's return to Dudley Wood for 1985 saw the start of an uninterrupted 8-year stint with the club. Pedersen achieved success for club, country and individually.
In 1985 he was a heat leader for the Heathens and became part of the dominant Danish national team of the era. In the Cradley team he was second only to Erik Gundersen and won three consecutive Speedway World Team Cups in 1986, 1987 and 1988, riding alongside the Danish greats of Hans Nielsen, Gundersen and Tommy Knudsen. He won the British League Riders' Championship, held at Belle Vue Stadium on 9 October 1988.[8]
He topped the Cradley team averages in 1989 and then led the team during the 1990 British League season, following Cradley's loss of Gundersen. That season he also won his first Speedway World Pairs Championship riding with Nielsen but it was the 1991 season that became the pinnacle of Pedersen's career. He won the ultimate prize of winning the Speedway World Championship[9] in addition to the winning a second World pairs title with Nielsen and Knudsen[10] and a fourth World Cup win.
Still aged only 29 his speedway career was brought to a premature end in his testimonial year. Less than a fortnight after Pedersen's 10-year testimonial at Cradley, he crashed in Denmark and suffered a serious back injury and never raced competitively again. Since 1993 he has been doing some saloon car racing in Denmark and won a championship in his first season. He has also had one year spells as team manager with Oxford and promoter with Cradley when the Cradley team spent the 1996 season riding at Stoke.
In 1999, he raced in the 25th Anniversary meeting at Denmark's Vojens track. A series of competitive races were held involving old and current international stars, including Gary Havelock, Henrik Gustafsson and Jesper B. Monberg. Pedersen managed to win every one of his races in his first track return since his career-ending accident in 1992.[11]
In 2012, he joined the Dudley Heathens Speedway team as their team coach. Dudley Heathens has roots with Cradley Heathens who currently ride at Perry Barr Stadium with the Birmingham Brummies.[12]
World Final Appearances
edit| World Championship Final results timeline | |||||||||||||||||||
| Year | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finishing position | - | - | 9 | 2 | 7 | 3 | - | - | 1 | ||||||||||
Individual World Championship
edit- 1985 -
Bradford, Odsal Stadium - 9th - 7pts - 1986 -
Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 2nd - 13pts - 1987 -
Amsterdam, Olympic Stadium - 7th - 19pts - 1988 -
Vojens, Speedway Center - 3rd - 13pts - 1991 -
Göteborg, Ullevi - Winner - 15pts[13]
* Pedersen qualified for the 1989 and 1990 World Final's but withdrew injured on both occasions.
World Pairs Championship
edit- 1990 -
Landshut, Ellermühle Stadium (with Hans Nielsen) - Winner - 43pts (24) - 1991 - Poznań, Olimpia Poznań Stadium (with Hans Nielsen / Tommy Knudsen) - Winner - 28pts (14)[14]
World Team Cup
edit- 1986 - Gothenburg, Ullevi, Vojens, Speedway Center and Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Hans Nielsen / Erik Gundersen / Tommy Knudsen / John Jørgensen) - Winner - 129pts (30)
- 1987 - Fredericia, Fredericia Speedway, Coventry, Brandon Stadium and
Prague, Marketa Stadium (with Hans Nielsen / Erik Gundersen / Tommy Knudsen) - Winner - 130pts (32) - 1988 -
Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Hans Nielsen / Erik Gundersen / Tommy Knudsen / John Jørgensen) - Winner - 44pts (12) - 1991 - Vojens, Speedway Center (with Hans Nielsen / Tommy Knudsen / Gert Handberg / Brian Karger) - Winner - 51pts (15)
Individual Under-21 World Championship
edit- 1982 - Pocking, Rottalstadion - 5th - 10pts
- 1983 -
Lonigo, Santa Marina Stadium - 12th - 5pts
References
edit- ^ Johnson S. Speedway Star magazine (30 August 1986)
- ^ "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ Montague, Trevor (2004). The A-Z of Sport. Little, Brown. p. 527. ISBN 0-316-72645-1.
- ^ "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ "Wigg poised to join Cradley's title hunt". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 22 January 1983. Retrieved 31 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Jan O Pedersen". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ "Cradley's treble glory!". Birmingham Mail. 25 October 1983. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Pedersen powers to title joy". Sandwell Evening Mail. 10 October 1988. Retrieved 5 June 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "JAN O PEDERSEN 1991". World Speedway Riders. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ "Speedway World Pairs". Sunday Mirror. 21 July 1991. Retrieved 13 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Dudley Heathens comeback for Jan O Pedersen". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ "Jan O rejoins Heathens". British Speedway. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
- ^ "'For the Record' (1991)". The Times. 22 July 1991. Retrieved 11 July 2021 – via Gale Primary Sources.