Saturday 14th July 2012, 11:37

Danish star Mikkel B Jensen admits his experience of racing in the pressure cooker of Copenhagen’s PARKEN Stadium will serve him well in the FIM Monster Energy Speedway World Cup Final this evening.

The 17-year-old was left out of Denmark’s victorious Race Off team on Thursday to accommodate returning triple world champion Nicki Pedersen. But he is back in the side after Leon Madsen managed just four points and struggled to get on the pace.

This will be arguably the biggest meeting of Mikkel B’s life as he bids to bring the Ove Fundin Trophy back to his country for the first time since Denmark triumphed at Vojens in 2008.

As the youngest rider ever to race in a World Cup Final, all eyes will be on him. But the Naestved-born man hopes his experience racing in the FIM Dansk Metal Danish SGP as a wild card in 2011 and track reserve this year will stand him in good stead.

He said: “It will help me a lot and I know how to control my feelings and I know how the crowd reacts. I’ll try and focus and do the best I can.”

The Malmo rider joins Pedersen, Niels-Kristian Iversen and Michael Jepsen Jensen in the Danish team and some have labelled Mikkel B the weak the link purely because of his age.

“Everyone is talking about my age,” he said. “I should feel some big pressure, but I don’t think the pressure is that big. The coach says I’m the best one to go for the gold for Denmark.

“I can’t do anymore than what I normally do. I’ll do the best I can. Of course I’m nervous – I should be. I’m very excited about tonight, though. I like the track very much. It’s a real race track. This is one of the biggest meetings I’ve ever had and I hope it will be a good one.”

Jensen’s experience outside of the Danish Super League may be limited, but his efforts on the international stage individually and for the Danes have caused a big stir.

He has received a number of offers from abroad and having left school this summer, he cannot wait to become a full-time speedway star.

He said: “I am already looking for mechanics for next season. I want to go full-time in the best leagues in Poland and Sweden, so I can’t wait for next year.”

There would be no better way to start his full-time career as a rider than with an FIM Monster Energy SWC gold medal. “It would be amazing and I really hope it will happen,” Jensen said.

“We have three strong guys and me. I just hope I can score some points out there and the guys will do as well as they did on Thursday. I think it should be good.”

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