Cavendish at the 2014 Gent Six & Zurich 4 Day

deejay
deejay Posts: 3,138
edited December 2014 in Pro race
Mark Cavendish will mix his winter training with six-day racing as he prepares for the 2015 season, riding the 74th Lotto Z6sdaagse Flanders-Ghent event with Belgian track star and Omega Pharma-QuickStep teammate Iljo Keisse, organisers have confirmed.

The Gent Six is arguably the biggest event on the winter six-day calendar, attracting thousands of Belgian and British fans to the six nights of high-speed racing. This year's event will be held between November 18-23, with Felice Gimondi named as the official starter in recognition of the Italian rider's career.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cavendi ... e-gent-six
Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
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Comments

  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    partnering Keisse is a guaranteed win, I look forward to it!
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Cool, I wonder if there will be any live feeds of this?
  • Paul 8v wrote:
    Cool, I wonder if there will be any live feeds of this?

    Eurosport have extensive live coverage of the Amsterdam 6, next week, so the prospects
    are good, I would say.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    They do? Excellent, will stick that on to record now
  • Tickets bought. Tee hee!

    Incidentally, last time he rode it his partner was one Bradley Wiggins.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    So......How does a six day race work then?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,551
    So......How does a six day race work then?

    A summary of the experience here: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/ ... ng-belgium
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    dish_dash wrote:
    So......How does a six day race work then?

    A summary of the experience here: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/ ... ng-belgium

    You've not really lived until you've heard the Wild Rover sung in Flemish. Been a while, but the last time I went the entertainment included someone dismantling and then rebuilding his bike while riding rollers. It takes a while to get your head around following the madison chases but it's great fun when you do.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    It's a great gig I go every other year and luckily it's this year.The atmosphere at the Kuipke with the smell of beer and frites has to be experienced
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    So......How does a six day race work then?
    What a shame, you are not old enough to have been to the Wembley "SKOL" Six Day Races on those funny little wooden tracks. :wink:
    Plenty of Lager beer there but now we go to the GENT Six Day for the atmosphere and Beer and the excitement. :lol:
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    deejay wrote:
    So......How does a six day race work then?
    What a shame, you are not old enough to have been to the Wembley "SKOL" Six Day Races on those funny little wooden tracks. :wink:
    Plenty of Lager beer there but now we go to the GENT Six Day for the atmosphere and Beer and the excitement. :lol:


    I was asking about the format of the racing.
    I seem to have missed the point quite spectacularly :lol:
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • jscl
    jscl Posts: 1,015
    deejay wrote:
    So......How does a six day race work then?
    What a shame, you are not old enough to have been to the Wembley "SKOL" Six Day Races on those funny little wooden tracks. :wink:
    Plenty of Lager beer there but now we go to the GENT Six Day for the atmosphere and Beer and the excitement. :lol:


    I was asking about the format of the racing.
    I seem to have missed the point quite spectacularly :lol:
    Lots of madison, hands off handlebars and fixed results.. Over and over again :)
    Follow me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/scalesjason - All posts are strictly my personal view.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    So......How does a six day race work then?

    Teams of 2 over six days (obviously) each evening will usually commence with a 45 minute Madison and then the riders from each team will take it in turns to take part in derny races, sprints, devils, and scratch races with another Madison session towards the end of the evening. The Madison competition is on going throughout the six days concluding on the Sunday afternoon. There's a junior competition earlier in the evenings.

    Lots of banging music and great action, Franco Marvulli and Kenny De Ketele are great crowd pleasers but you can't beat local wunderkind Keisse when he pulls the front wheel up off the track to accentuate the effort the crowed go crazy. It truly is the best thing since Saturday afternoon TV wrestling disappeared. You can guarantee everyone watching in the Kuipke will be on their feet for the last handful of Madison laps on Sunday
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • For anyone who fancies a trip to see it and lives in the Shropshire area this company are running a trip to see one night of it then the Cyclo cross at Koksijde as well.

    http://www.cyclotours.co.uk/index.htm
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    The six day events actually used to be six days non stop and the riders kept themselves awake by any means as far as I remember! Now days it's a bit more civilised

    This is also where Madison square gardens got its name
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    I was asking about the format of the racing.
    I seem to have missed the point quite spectacularly :lol:
    Apologies on that.
    The Yellow man has covered the answer you sort.
    I thought it was the last Hour every evening that the "Madison" took place, after the assortment races for points.
    The "Six Day" race is won on the Madison's General Classment at the end.

    PS :- One other thing in the festivities is to work out when any of the top men are putting on a "Professional" show, by just not winning (only just) a competition so that a minor team can earn some money.
    It all makes for great entertainment.

    20/10 - 25/10 Amsterdam Netherlands
    23/10 - 25/10 Grenoble France
    November
    18/11 - 23/11 Ghent Belgium
    26/11 - 29/11 Zürich Switzerland
    January
    02/01 - 07/01 Rotterdam Netherlands
    08/01 - 13/01 Bremen Germany
    22/01 - 27/01 Berlin Germany
    29/01 - 03/02 Copenhague Denmark

    Good Luck Keep the Wheels Turning.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,719
    Paul 8v wrote:
    The six day events actually used to be six days non stop and the riders kept themselves awake by any means as far as I remember! Now days it's a bit more civilised

    This is also where Madison square gardens got its name

    The Madison in cycling is named after the venue you mean.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    Paul 8v wrote:
    The six day events actually used to be six days non stop and the riders kept themselves awake by any means as far as I remember! Now days it's a bit more civilised

    This is also where Madison square gardens got its name
    I think that is the other way round.
    As I understood the history, was that type of racing did first take place in New York MSG to become known as Madison Racing.
    Your right :- In Europe the Six Day Race was continuous and I remember pictures of one partner sleeping in a little cabin next to the track side while the other riders ambled round the track without loosing any laps.
    It was a bit like "They Shoot Horses don't they" which is a film made about Dancing during the Depression Era.
    During the off period someone could sponsor a prize, so the riders on the track woke up, or they might loose a lap.
    Hell of a way to make a living and I think this went on during the Sixties.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Paul 8v wrote:
    The six day events actually used to be six days non stop and the riders kept themselves awake by any means as far as I remember! Now days it's a bit more civilised

    This is also where Madison square gardens got its name

    The Madison in cycling is named after the venue you mean.
    Ah yes sorry
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    Sorry Repeat post due to Bike Radar doing a 404.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • Tickets bought. Tee hee!

    Incidentally, last time he rode it his partner was one Bradley Wiggins.
    Rob Hayles, actually.

    Wiggins was born in Gent though, so there's a connection of sorts, but I don't think he's raced at 't Kuipke.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Tickets bought. Tee hee!

    Incidentally, last time he rode it his partner was one Bradley Wiggins.
    Rob Hayles, actually.

    Wiggins was born in Gent though, so there's a connection of sorts, but I don't think he's raced at 't Kuipke.

    they were partners in 2007 at Gent

    the best treat is a song set by Garry Hagger...outstanding!
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Is he the Belgian version of Sammy Hagar? :-)
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Paul 8v wrote:
    Is he the Belgian version of Sammy Hagar? :-)

    Ha ha! sort of.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466

    Absolutely brilliant links! Chapeau sir!
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    We went over a couple of years back for the Koksijde cyclocross and then the Saturday and Sunday of the Gent Six, what a weekend!

    The cross event on its own is fantastic, then you add in a very drunken night in the middle of the track, bumping into all the cyclists for photos, just class.
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    That Derny racing looks awesome! I want a go
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    deejay wrote:
    20/10 - 25/10 Amsterdam Netherlands
    23/10 - 25/10 Grenoble France
    November
    18/11 - 23/11 Ghent Belgium
    26/11 - 29/11 Zürich Switzerland
    January
    02/01 - 07/01 Rotterdam Netherlands
    08/01 - 13/01 Bremen Germany
    22/01 - 27/01 Berlin Germany
    29/01 - 03/02 Copenhague Denmark
    So off we go on Monday with "Live" British Eurosport 2 @18.15 for 210 mins from Amsterdam. to 21.45
    Tuesday "Live" 19.30 for 135 mins to 21.45.

    Varied start times but the 6 days all finish "Live" at 21.45.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972