Thursday, March 28, 2024

Berlin Six Day 2011 Finalè

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HomeDiariesBerlin Six Day 2011 Finalè

The stadium in Berlin is spectacular, with a 142 metres span it boasts the largest steel roof in Europe; the crowd has to be seen to be believed, on the last night there were certainly more fans than there were seats; the noise is deafening — and for a fan it’s just like you dreamed of.

Berlin Six Day 2011
The final podium of the Berlin Six Day 2011.
Berlin Six Day 2011
What we’re here for.

But if you were on the inside it wasn’t a happy race; to get the World Champions on board the organisers had to pay big bucks.

I can’t quote figures or it would be no more sixes for Ed, but it was serious money, ‘that’s fair enough’ I hear you say.

But it’s not.

Last season Bruno Risi didn’t ride Berlin because the organisers set a cap on what they could — or rather, would pay — and that was less than Bruno valued himself at.

The Aussies were each paid twice what the ‘capped’ figure was, and that didn’t go down well with the riders.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Cameron was well paid for his six nights work.

The usual banter wasn’t there; it was all very ‘flat.’

Berlin Six Day 2011
Alex reads…
Berlin Six Day 2011
…while Jens-Erik takes a nap.

That said, it was a great experience to be there — I worked at Berlin a few years ago but somehow I don’t remember too much about it.

It was easier to get me to Berlin than it was to get me to Copenhagen and it meant I was there to help for the finalè.

The track is largely below ground and from the outside looks like a storage shed but when you walk in and see that roof and the big track — 250 metres — sitting there under the lights, it’s pretty special.

Berlin Six Day 2011
That’s the track roof on the right.
Berlin Six Day 2011
The entrance to the track isn’t glam.

The folk lore is that the track is on the site of what was the old Stasi (East German Secret Police) HQ.

If you’ve ever seen the excellent film, ‘The Lives of Others’ the ‘velodrom’ is surrounded by those bleak apartment blocks that appear in the movie.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Grim-looking East German apartment blocks.

The only thing with a big track is that even with an 18 team field the riders do look a little ‘lost’ on that big expanse of Siberian Spruce.

Berlin Six Day 2011
The roof inside the track is amazing.
Berlin Six Day 2011
The calm before the storm.

Which leads me back to money, some of the six day stalwarts were missing from those 18 teams — no Aeschbach or Van Bon for example and the field was ‘padded out’ with Czechs and Russians.

Some of them are hardy guys but they’re also easier to pay than shrewd Swiss or Dutch riders.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Despite the format questions, the place was a sell-out.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Sprinter Forstemann’s leg.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Cam’s partner, Leigh Howard.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Danilo Hondo is a Six Day regular.

I know that the track is made from Siberian Spruce because I was talking to the man who designed and built it, Ralph Schuermann who is the third generation of the famous track architect dynasty.

The timber grows north of the Arctic Circle where the growing season is very short, the growth rings are tight, making it very hard and because they take the timber from deep in the forest it’s unaffected by the wind, growing tall and straight.

He’s also the man behind the Meadowbank and Glasgow Commonwealth Games tracks.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Ralph Schuermann (L) with Jack Simes.

Andre Greipel appeared for a presentation, he’s a big boy and wee Cav is gallus to give him verbal; he looks like he could bite your head off.

Berlin Six Day 2011
A suit might have been better than a lumber jack shirt and jeans but who was going to tell him?

The Danes won the chase on Thursday night; that was cool — during that race there were guys going about as slow as I’ve seen at a six day, on their knees.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Foot long ‘dogs, anyone?
Berlin Six Day 2011
…or some pasta?
Berlin Six Day 2011
Beautiful carbon on a sprinter’s FES.
Berlin Six Day 2011
3T Meyer Sphinx ‘bars will be on the market soon.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Whether it’s for reasons of aero, comfort, or both, they’re certainly different.

The thing about a Six Day is that it sneaks up on you, night by night, race by race — chases, points, devils, Dernys and time trials.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Schep (L) and Mertens.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Another chase begins.

The nightly time test at Berlin was 1,000 metres from a flying start; despite that fact that it was midnight and the big chase had been run the big boys were still clocking 56 seconds — that’s quick.

The sprinters are big in Berlin, so are the stayers — a form of racing that many young cycling fans have never even heard of.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Proper motorbikes.

I remember the first time I sent a photo of a motor pacing bike to an editor; ‘what the hell is that?’ was the reply.

Berlin Six Day 2011
The boys wait to go behind the big BMWs.

Motor pacing was big for a long time all over Europe, Hemingway writes about going to see the motor paced races at the Winter Track in Paris way back between the wars.

Berlin Six Day 2011
One of the ‘stayer’ bikes.
Berlin Six Day 2011
The huge gear takes some winding up to get behind the motorbike.

What killed it was the corruption among the pace drivers, the UCI finally abandoned it in the 90’s — the drivers bought and sold the races and athletic ability was secondary to bank balance.

All that said, when the big BMWs are roaring around the bankings three abreast its spectacular stuff — but maybe best on a big old concrete outdoor track where the speeds are wearing on for 100 kph.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Contrast the buttressing on the stayer bikes to normal ones.

And in the, ‘never judge by appearances’ file goes Julien Stevens – he’s the ‘wee old guy’ helping Eddy, the mechanic.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Julien Stevens.

A tour stage winner, Merckx henchman and hard as nails pro, he was second in the 1969 Worlds when Dutchman Harm Ottenbros out kicked him to rainbow jersey.

The music wasn’t bad but not as good as Rotterdam or Gent, the deejay’s propensity to play the worst of Euro pop during the chases rather spoiled it for me.

And the house band wasn’t the best, from Ricky Martin to The Sweet, they’ll butcher it.

Berlin Six Day 2011
The house band rehearse the “Ballroom Blitz”, but not quite enough.
Berlin Six Day 2011
The big chase gets underway.
Berlin Six Day 2011
The Bell Lap.

The final chase went — unsurprisingly — to Bartko & Kluge; stylishly they are very similar: big, strong, smooth and good in the chases.

They had to work hard for it, though and the noise was deafening when they took the lap they needed.

Berlin Six Day 2011
There’s no shortage of photograph subjects here.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Patrick gets Franco’s shades ready.

The Aussies were second and our Danes were third.

Berlin Six Day 2011
Man on a deadline – Ed knows how that feels.
Berlin Six Day 2011
The dancing girls.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Russian coach Heiko Salzwedel and local boy Andreas Muller.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Danny Stam looks like he’s making sure Michael knows the score.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Some good Six Day news.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Alex is also a World Champion.
Berlin Six Day 2011
An old pic from an autograph hunter – who’s that Alex has just beaten?

The presentations were around midnight and we got away for around 02:00 am.

We made a cold, grey Rostock on the Baltic coast for 05:00 and slept in the camper ‘til 10:30.

The ferry was at 11:00, a couple of hours on the water and then another couple of hours on the road.

And now it’s Copenhagen on Thursday at 15:00 and the riders’ meeting is about to start — we have six to look after: Alex Rasmussen, Michael Morkov, Franco Marvulli, Jens-Erik Madsen, Jesper Morkov and Colby Pearce.

Berlin wasn’t too hard for me, but with the race favourites on our books – and Michael being the perfectionist that he is — this will be a ‘proper job.

More soon!

Berlin Six Day 2011
Ed gets the feeling Denis Demitriev would rather not have his photo taken.
Berlin Six Day 2011
Shopping trolleys have 101 uses.

Berlin Six Day 2011 Result

1 Robert Bartko / Roger Kluge (Ger) Schultheiss 315 pts
2 Leigh Howard / Cameron Meyer (Aus) Axel Lange 208
At One Lap
3 Alex Rasmussen / Michael Mørkøv (Den) techem 278
4 Franco Marvulli (Swi) / Danilo Hondo (Ger) JAHN BAU 205
5 Danny Stam / Peter Schep (Ned) KIA Motors 139
At Three Laps
6 Leif Lampater / Christian Grasmann (Ger) 105’5 Spreeradio 135
7 Kenny de Ketele / Tim Mertens (Bel) Berlin Recycling 106
At Four Laps
8 Robert Bengsch / Marcel Kalz (Ger) MEIKO 119
At Nine Laps
9 Martin Bláha / Jiri Hochmann (Cze) TURM ErlebnisCity 54
At Ten Laps
10 Marcel Barth / Erik Mohs (Ger) Oßwald 190
11 Tino Thömel (Ger) / Andreas Müller (Aut) LCW 115
At Thirteen Laps
12 Marc Hester / Jens-Erik Madsen (Den) 6-Tage Rennen Köln 96
At Fifteen Laps
13 Milan Kadlec (Cze) / Henning Bommel (Ger) Holiday Inn 54
At Sixteen Laps
14 Claudio Imhof / Silvan Dillier (Swi) 76
At Eighteen Laps
15 Ralf Matzka / Theo Reinhardt (Ger) pot marketing 90
At Twenty One Laps
16 Alexei Markov / Ivan Kowalev (Rus) PEES 31
At Twenty Two Laps
17 Benjamin Edmüller / Bastian Faltin (Ger) Hannover Sixdays 26
At Twenty Three Laps
18 Jan Dostal / Vojtech Hacecky (Cze) wolfram 28

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

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