PIRATES skipper Danny King described Bjarne Pedersen as a "great ambassador to the sport" as Poole prepare to pay tribute to the legendary rider tomorrow evening (7.30pm).

Wimborne Road will play host to a farewell meeting to the 43-year-old, who announced his retirement on the back of winning the Premiership with Peterborough Panthers last season.

And it is Peterborough who will provide the opposition for Poole, as the reigning champions of both the Premiership and Championship go head-to-head.

Pedersen will not be competing in the meeting itself, but will undertake a demonstration farewell lap during the evening, at a club where he enjoyed much success through the 2000s.

The Dane joined Poole in 2002, staying until 2010 and then returning in 2016. During his time as a Pirate, Pedersen won three top-flight titles with the club and is the club's second all-time highest points scorer.

"The guy has been a great ambassador to the sport in general in every country he’s ridden in," Poole captain King told the Daily Echo.

"It was good to see him back in England last year and nice to see he is still winning races.

"He obviously feels his time has come to an end and I wish him all the best and we’ll be doing our best to send him off with a big bang."

Tomorrow will also be the first chance for Pirates fans to see the new-look side in action after multiple team changes during the off-season.

Only King, Steve Worrall and Ben Cook remain from last year's septet, with Zach Cook, Drew Kemp, Richard Lawson and Nathan Ablitt now added to the mix.

However, Ablitt will in fact ride for Peterborough tomorrow in place of the absent Benjamin Basso, while Poole-born Kyle Newman comes in to ride for Pirates.

Discussing his first meeting at Wimborne Road, but riding for Panthers rather than Pirates, Ablitt told the Daily Echo: "I’ve got the opportunity to ride, yes it’s for the other team, but it’s laps for me around here. It’s my first time here.

"Bjarne was another one when I was a little boy around Eastbourne he was the number one there in the Premiership.

"I used to watch him week in, week out and think ‘wow, one day I want to get there’.

"Now I’m riding in his testimonial. So it’s pretty cool for me.

"But I’m just going to learn off it and take that into the meetings I do for Poole."

Poole will be managed on the night by Gary Havelock, with Neil Middleditch unable to make the meeting.

Pirates: Steve Worrall, Ben Cook, Danny King, Kyle Newman, Richard Lawson, Drew Kemp, Zach Cook.

Peterborough: Michael Palm Toft, Hans Andersen, Ulrich Ostergaard, Alfie Bowtell, Scott Nicholls, Jordan Palin, Nathan Ablitt.