SKIPPER Niels-Kristian Iversen apologised to his teammates and fans – after failing to complete a race at Belle Vue.
The Denmark World Cup silver medallist declared himself fit for the Elite League trip to Manchester but had to pull out after two rides.
It left the Readypower Panthers a rider short when he was ruled out by the track medical team and a rueful Iversen admitted:
“I’m sorry I let the team down and the fans.
“I wouldn’t have got here if I knew I wasn’t going to be ready to ride.
“I seriously believed I was okay – I did everything I could to try and test my fitness.”
Iversen had crashed at Swindon last Thursday, suffering damage to his right leg and had pulled out of Friday night’s Danish Championship after his first ride.
But he was convinced he was fit enough to return at Kirkmanshulme Lane but barely completed a lap.
He came down on the first turn of his opening race and then had to pull onto the centre green after a lap of his second before being signed off.
It was a bitter blow to the title-chasing Panthers who went down 56-38 with their reserves having to cover Iversen’s last two programmed rides.
With newly-crowned Danish Champion Kenneth Bjerre having his worst meeting of the season, the Panthers went behind in Heat 2 and two late Aces’ maximums denied them even the consolation of a point as Belle Vue stepped up their attempt to gatecrash the top four and earn place in the end of season play-offs.
Yet it all started brightly for the Panthers on a track drenched by afternoon rain.
Bjerre beat his World Cup captain Hans Andersen in the opening race with partner Krzysztof Buczkowski claiming the third place.
And then in Heat 2, Matt Tresarrieu and Norbert Kosciuch led coming out of the second team but the race was twice stopped by the referee and at the third time of asking the Belle Vue pairing made the gate.
Passing was at an absolute premium throughout the night but despite the defeat there were some bright spots for the visitors with reserves Kosciuch and Tresarrieu having a productive meeting.
But an overall lack of race-winners – three out of 15 – told in the final scoreline.
Peterborough remain third in the table, a point ahead of Lakeside and five in front of the Aces, with two matches in hand over their rivals.
BELLE VUE 56 (Hans Andersen 14 (2-3-3-3-3), James Wright 1 (0-0-1), Leigh Lanham 8:1 (1-2:1-3-2), Patrick Hougaard 9 (3-3-0-3), Peter Karlsson 12:2 (2-3-3-2:1-2:1), Filip Sitera 3:1 (2:1-1-FD), Ulrich Østergaard 9:1 (3-0-3-1-1:1-1).
