Iversen opens up about struggle for full fitness

King’s Lynn Stars number one Niels-Kristian Iversen revealed his feelings about his struggle back to full fitness.

The great Dane during the Speedway Cup of Nations had an operation on his troublesome shoulder which he injured last year and which took longer than expected to recover from.

The 36-year-old said: “It’s really been a little bit difficult for me but it’s getting there.

“Hopefully there will be better times for me.”

‘Puk’ says the mid-season treatment has been justified: “It’s something that had to be done,” added Iversen.

“If it was easier I could have waited but it’s not how it is. Before the season started I expected to be fully fit. I’ve just got to power through it.”

As a percentage of full fitness, the multiple-World Cup winner and Danish champion, just turned 36, said he was feeling: “Seventy-five per cent.

“Sometimes in speedway if it’s five per cent below it shows. You need to be 100 per cent.

“I’ve just got to get on with it. It’s not something where I can just go to the gym. I just need some time and everything will be back to usual.

“I’ve just got to be patient, which I don’t have!”

New arrival Simon Lambert is due to make his first appearance back in Stars colours against his former club Leicester tonight with rider replacement operating for the injured Lewis Kerr at No.2.

Team boss at the Tru Plant Stars, Dale Allitt, said: “(Whether or not we make another) signing won’t make any difference to the Leicester meeting.”

King’s Lynn Stars will particularly feel the loss of Rye House: they beat the Rockets 58-32 at home recently as well as scoring 41 points away; and this record has been expunged after the Hoddesdon side were removed from this season’s Premiership competitions due to financial issues.

Allitt commented on the news: “It didn’t really come as a shock.

“We’d all hoped it would be resolved and at the very least that they could see out the season. Obviously that was the hope and to carry on forward, but it wasn’t to be.

“It’s a great shame for the Rye House fans and it impacts the riders who were riding there.

“Certainly there is nothing good that has come of the situation as a sport or for anyone that’s involved in it."