Speedway's Mister Nice Guy loses it with Mr Nasty

World speedway champion Greg Hancock has launched two astonishing attacks on rival Nicki Pedersen within the space of 24 hours after being wiped out by the Dane in a race in Sweden.

First Hancock picked himself up from the floor and ran towards his rival, flying in with an apparently perfect clothes line that swiped Pedersen from his bike and sparked a short wrestling match between the pair.

Hancock is widely regarded as one of the nicest riders in the sport and his 26-year professional career has brought him three world championship victories and near saint-like status in world motorcycle racing. But Nicki Pedersen’s riding is often hard enough to test the patience of a genuine saint. 

Fellow riders were among those who posted clips of the double confrontation online, including this one on YouTube.

Then, after earning a 5000 Swedish kroner fine (£390) from the referee, the three-times world champion issued an apology to fans and officials that went on to accuse Pedersen of routinely putting his fellow riders in danger.

Hancock said: “People need to know the character of this man. He will stop at nothing to gain an advantage in this sport, and that includes putting his fellow riders at serious risk. We know Nicki rides hard, we know he can be dangerous, but enough is enough now.”

He added: “He doesn’t see other riders in the race, he just sees what he wants to see and that puts us in danger. If he feels like he can get in front without hurting himself, regardless of whether he’s going to hurt somebody else, he will do it. This is the guy we have to share the track with.”

Pedersen, who was blamed for Hancock’s crash by the meeting referee and thrown out of the restaged race, has insisted he was not guilty. He told the official Speedway Grand Prix website: “He [Hancock] knew exactly what I was going to do. I was faster than him and he should have shut off the gas and not just jump off the bike.”

Pedersen has won three world titles but few friends in a Grand Prix career stretching back to 2000. He’s had run-ins with several rivals in the past, including an incident with Slovenian Matej Zagar last year when Pedersen was ruled to have knocked off Zagar, who was also fined for retaliating against the Dane as he left the track.

Such is the contrast in respect levels for Hancock and Pedersen among the speedway community that campaigns were launched to pay Hancock’s fine for him. But the Californian said he deserved the fine and would pay up – asking fans to instead donate to a charity that promotes safety for bike racers in his home country.

The pair will face each other again in the British Grand Prix at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday, July 4. Hancock currently trails Pedersen by seven points in the world title standings – with Brit Tai Woffinden six points clear of Pedersen in the lead.

Read Hancock’s extraordinary statement on Pedersen in full at www.greghancock.com