Niels Kristian Iversen is currently one of the most experienced Danes on Polish tracks. The 43-year-old, after losing the KLŻ final with WYBRZEŻE Gdańsk, did not want to stay in the country’s lowest league tier and moved to HUNTERS PSŻ Poznań. How will the World Championships medalist fare in the METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga?
Iversen began his speedway career in Poland in 2004, racing for BETARD SPARTA Wrocław along with the likes of Piotr Baron, Greg Hancock, and Jarosław Hampel. However, the Dane was rarely considered by coach Marek Cieślak. At that time, the 22-year-old rode only three matches for the Wrocław team throughout the season. The following year, Iversen represented the Rybnik team but didn’t secure a permanent spot in the starting lineup there either. In 2006, he was more frequently relied upon in Toruń, but even there he didn’t stay for long. The first Polish club where the Dane spent more than one season was STELMET FALUBAZ Zielona Góra.
In his first year there, he was ranked 21st in the point-based race average rankings with a score of 1.837 points/race. He fought with the team for a spot in the PGE Ekstraliga until the end, defeating the Ostrów Wlkp team in the playoffs. The following season was a bit worse, and after 2010, the Zielona Góra officials decided to part ways with him. With STELMET FALUBAZ, Iversen also won his first DMP medals – bronze (2008), gold (2009), and silver (2010).
In 2011, he joined GEZET STAL Gorzów, where he raced for seven years. During this time, the Dane achieved his greatest successes, both with the team and individually. In his second season in Gorzów, Iversen became the second-best speedway rider in the PGE Ekstraliga, beaten only by his compatriot Nicki Pedersen. He also won the Team World Cup gold for the third time, becoming a leader of the national team. However, the best moments of his career were yet to come. In the 2013 season, he won a bronze medal in the Individual World Championships, winning two rounds in the Grand Prix series (Terenzano and Stockholm) and finishing second once (Cardiff). As it turned out, the popular „PUK” never repeated such significant success, but he remained in the world elite.
In the PGE Ekstraliga, Iversen also performed as a team leader. After the 2017 season, he decided to switch from Gorzów to Toruń, where he spent two years. In hindsight, this transfer was not successful, as both the rider and the club, which was relegated for the first time in 2019, lost their form. For the Dane, this was the beginning of troubles.
In 2020, he returned to Gorzów, where he struggled with an injury for most of the season, and ended his career in the world’s best speedway league with a horrifying crash in a semi-final match against BETARD SPARTA Wrocław. Niels Kristian Iversen failed to control the bike entering the second corner and slid, with Tai Woffinden riding over the already fallen rider.
After these events, „PUK” was forced to step down a league. Most interested in the Dane was UNIA Tarnów, which ultimately fell to the lowest league, and the rider spent much of the season recovering from recurring injuries. The next two years involved racing for H.SKRZYDLEWSKA ORŁA Łódź and trying to return to form. In 2022, Iversen almost led his team to the finals, but the following season he was defending it from relegation, serving as a clear leader in both seasons for the Łódź team.
Then WYBRZEŻE Gdańsk enlisted the services of the experienced speedway rider. There, Niels Kristian Iversen performed quite decently, something which could not be said about the rest of the team, which also faced relegation to the National Speedway League. The Dane believed in the rapid promotion of Gdańsk’s team, which prompted him to remain with the club. In the 2025 season, it was PRONERGY POLONIA Piła that secured promotion to METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga, and the patience of the multiple world championship medalist ran out. – This year I decided to stay in Gdańsk, where we had one goal and one mission, but we didn’t manage to advance. However, I still believe I am good enough to ride in METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga, although I don’t yet know exactly where I will be next season – said Iversen to ekstraliga.pl, shortly after the KLŻ final loss.
It is now known that in the 2026 season, his new employer will be HUNTERS PSŻ Poznań, where alongside the likes of Dimitirm Berge and Ryan Douglas, he will compete for the best possible result for his team. Is the 43-year-old Niels Kristian Iversen still capable of being a leader in a METALKAS 2. Ekstraliga team? Will the Dane in the upcoming season reference his best years? Some answers to these questions will become clear in a few dozen days, but as the rider himself states, his ambitions remain high, and despite his age, he will strive to achieve satisfying results for HUNTERS PSŻ Poznań that satisfy all fans.
Marcin Rusewicz
