[glow=red,2,300]Danish duo will become Elite League greats says Swales[/glow]
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PAIR OF ACES: Niels Kristian Iversen and Kenneth Bjerre.
PETERBOROUGH team manager Trevor Swales believes his top two riders will establish themselves among the cream of British speedway this year.
Swales insists his Danish spearhead of Kenneth Bjerre and Niels Kristian Iversen - who begin the campaign on averages of 7.89 and 7.80 respectively - both have the class to become major Elite League forces.
And the Panthers boss is so confident in the abilities of his men that he reckons top five places in the individual rankings are a realistic target for both men.
Swales said: "Both Kenneth and Niels will be pushing each other to be our number one and that is going to be a great benefit to everyone.
"I don't see any reason why they both shouldn't be challenging for a place in the top five of the averages.
"They are both excellent all-round riders who we believe can score plenty of points both at home and away, and have the dedication required to be a success in this country.
"The year away at Wolverhampton has done wonders for Niels' career. He has really grasped how to ride the smaller tracks while Kenneth is another man with very few bogey tracks.
"Obviously we need Kenneth to pick up from where he left off last season and Niels to have come through his shoulder operation well, but we certainly feel that will happen."
Skipper Iversen has made no secret of his belief that he and Bjerre can form one of the best partnerships in the business this season.
Iversen told The Evening Telegraph earlier this winter that he believes only the Poole duo of Bjarne Pedersen and Chris Holder can rival them.
And Swales insists another member of the Danish contigent at the Showground should not be forgotten either.
Loan signing Mads Korneliussen starts the season as the club's third highest-averaged rider on 6.94 and is expected to continue the rapid progress made in recent years at parent club Swindon.
Swales added: "Mads is here to prove a point and is a rider we believe has the potential for further improvement."
BJERRE and Iversen will have to overcome plenty of competition to make Swales' prediction come true. They begin the 2009 season as the 11th and 13th highest-averaged riders in the Elite League.
The top dogs
Leigh Adams (Swindon) 10.51
Bjarne Pedersen (Poole) 9.13
Chris Holder (Poole) 8.80
Krzysztof Kasprzak (Belle Vue) 8.68
Peter Karlsson (Wolves) 8.66
Freddie Lindgren (Wolves) 8.32
Jarek Hampel (Ipswich) 8.28
Davey Watt (Eastbourne) 8.15
Adam Shields (Lakeside) 8.10
Lee Richardson (Lakeside) 7.96
Kenneth Bjerre (Panthers) 7.89
Charlie Gjedde (Belle Vue) 7.86
Niels Kristian Iversen (Panthers) 7.80
PANTHERS have changed the dates of three of their home fixtures in the new speedway season.
An Elite League B clash against Belle Vue has been switched from July 9 to August 13, while an Elite League B date against East Anglian rivals Ipswich has been brough forward from August 31 to July 6.
The city club are still seeking a new date for an Elite League B meeting against Swindon which can't now go ahead on July 27.
* Last Updated: 04 March 2009 11:59 AM
* Source: Peterborough ET