The Non-Essential Guide to....Tony Rickardsson

This article was first published in September 2001

Who He ?
2001 World Champion and one of the greatest riders of all time.

Is this his first World Title ?
No he was also champion in 1994, 1998 and 1999. His first success came in the old one-off World Final, his most recent three were won under the Grand Prix system.

He must be pretty good then ?
He's a hard, but fair, rider who is quick out the traps and who can pass when he needs to. He is also mentally strong and he never seems to lose concentration or focus. It's difficult to identify any chinks in his armour.

Which clubs does he race for ?
Poole Pirates in Britain, Masarna in Sweden and Apator Torun in Poland.

Has he always raced in Britain ?
No, he first came to the UK in 1991 when he linked up with Ipswich. He raced with them on and off until 1998. He moved to King's Lynn in 1999, then gave it a miss entirely last season before joining Poole this term. Interestingly his best seasons always seem to happen when he's racing in the UK.

Where's he from ?
He was born in Sweden in August 1970.

What's his secret ?
No secret as such - he's just very good and very experienced. His chief mechanic is Carl Blomfeldt who's acknowledged as one of the best in the business. They know each other well and Carl understands exactly what Tony needs.

How much longer can he go on ?
There's no reason why he shouldn't race at the top level for another six or seven years. If he can maintain his standards then he may even surpass Ivan Mauger's record six title wins. He's expressed a desire to move into car racing at some point, that could either cut short his career or divert his energies.