DATE OF BIRTH: 14 October 1977, Esbjerg, Denmark.
BRITISH CAREER: (1997-2003) Wolverhampton; (2004) Ipswich; (2005) Oxford, Peterborough; (2006) Peterborough; (2007) Ipswich; (2008) Wolverhampton; (2011) Swindon; (2012) Peterborough
NOTE: Jensen also appeared for Oxford prior to joining Ipswich in 2007, but this is not credited in his career record because the club closed down prematurely, with all their matches expunged from the records.
MAJOR HONOURS: Nordic Under-21 Champion: 1995; World Team Cup Champion: 1997; World Under-21 Champion: 1997; European Champion: 2005.
CLUB HONOURS: League Championship winner: 2002 [Wolverhampton], 2006 [Peterborough].
2012 STARTING AVERAGE: 5.02 (EL).
The rider was long-associated with Wolverhampton, appearing for them from 1997 to 2003 although, in the latter year, he only represented the Monmore men in the British League Cup, making just a single appearance in the competition that ran for one season.
He was identified with Ipswich in 2004 and helped the Witches reach the Knock-Out Cup final, but they were beaten 99-87 by Poole on aggregate after only securing a 6-point advantage from the first leg at Foxhall Heath on 21 October.
The Dane had spells with Oxford and Peterborough in 2005, remaining with the East of England Showground the following season and, in a terrific season for the Panthers, they finished at the top of the final league table – albeit on race-points difference – ahead of the then-nicknamed Bulldogs, both sides having attained 64 points from their forty matches.
Fittingly, both sides met in the Play-Off final, Peterborough getting there by virtue of defeating Coventry 52-40 at the East of England Showground on 25 September. The first leg of the final took place seven days later at Smallmead on 2 October, when Reading were only able to claim a hard-fought 49-47 success. The Panthers clearly started the second leg at their pacy home circuit as favourites, but Reading fought like tigers to lead 41-31 after heat twelve.
Just when it looked as if the Berkshire side were heading for the League Championship, Panthers’ Hans Andersen took victory in a tactical ride and with team-mate Richard Hall in third place, the resultant 7-2 reduced the Bulldogs’ advantage to 43-38.
Ryan Sullivan and Hall then combined for a 5-1, setting up an overwhelmingly tense last-heat decider as Reading clung desperately to a 44-43 lead. It wasn’t to be for the Bulldogs, however, as Sullivan and Andersen joined forces for a 5-1 over Greg Hancock, giving the Panthers the narrowest of aggregate successes by 95 points to 94.
The 2007 campaign saw the Dane stage a successful testimonial meeting at Peterborough on 25 March, when a three-team tournament resulted thus: Peterborough 42, Oxford 35, Wolverhampton 31.
He had initially begun the term in Oxford’s colours, but received a 28-day ban from the BSPA. This occurred when, prior to the track’s premature closure, he was deemed to have been withholding his services from the Cheetahs’ line-up. He subsequently re-joined Ipswich for a second stint.
The rider was known as Jesper B. Jensen throughout the majority of his racing career, before adopting his wife’s maiden name of Monberg in March 2008. Although he had no British team berth that year, he was to again link with Wolverhampton in August and went on to appear in sixteen official meetings, scoring 92 points for a real-time average of 5.85.
Peterborough had hoped to include their asset in the Panthers’ 2009 line-up on a green-sheet average of 4.51 (excluding bonus points), which he had achieved in his largely unsuccessful stint at Wolves the previous year.
However, the BSPA Management Committee ruled that, although the rider had completed the requisite twelve league meetings, he hadn’t ridden in six home matches and six away as required within the rules at the time. They therefore stated that his average would be 6.49, which he had attained with Ipswich in 2007. This resulted in Peterborough discounting Monberg from their plans for the campaign.
The rider hadn’t raced in the UK since his spell at Wolverhampton in 2008, but was keen to revive his career with Swindon in 2011, when he was permitted to use the 4.51 average that had raised issues two years previously.
That followed early-season problems at the Wiltshire club, which led to the announcement of the double signing of Monberg and fellow Dane Nicolai Klindt on 17 April; the incoming duo took the place of the injured Grzegorz Zengota and his Polish compatriot, Tomasz Chrzanowski, who had struggled for points in the opening matches of the campaign.
Showing how important it was to him, Monberg brought his own equipment to the UK on 19 April after driving over from Denmark ahead of his first appearance for the Robins, such was his desire to do well for the club.
It was a tough season for the Robins in 2011 - finishing rock bottom of the Elite League tables - but Monberg will be looking for better fortune in 2012 as he rejoins Peterborough - a track where he tasted victory as member of the Panthers victorious 2006 title winning side.
