Ice speedway is the hardest motorcycle sport. Just like regular speedway, riders race around a track on bikes with no brakes. In this version though, the tires are fitted with 2.8 cm spikes to grip the ice, and they can reach speeds of 130 km an hour. Collisions are commonplace, and the riders wear armour-like protection. Although ice speedway was born in North-Western Europe in the 1920s and 1930s, Russians quickly came to dominate the sport: other countries hold races on artificial rinks, but in Russia, they take place outdoors in temperatures below -20°C, giving Russian drivers a more challenging experience. International competitions are always held in the previous champion’s home country, so most race meetings tend to be in Russia.
