Friday, March 29, 2024

Gent Six Days 2011 – Night Six

-

HomeDiariesGent Six Days 2011 - Night Six

On the one hand, the 18:00 finish here at the Gent Six Days 2011 is cool; but on the other, the lunch time kick off means that the last day is pretty hectic for the support staff.

The result was never really in doubt and I thought that the last chase was poor.

But I said all of that yesterday – and what I’m not taking account of is the huge gaps in the Six Day programme.

Gent Six Days 2011
The winners’ trophy awaits…
Gent Six Days 2011
You get the chance to take ketchup AND mayo with your frites if you’re a V.I.P.

The life of a Six Day man used to be simple, ride the Six then drive or fly to the next one.

You had to have condition for the first races, but after that you didn’t have to worry too much about condition – the racing did that.

But now, with the huge gaps in the programme riders have to keep in shape between races.

If you live in the mild climes of southern Europe then late autumn road training isn’t a problem – but in the cold north it’s more difficult.

The crowd was good though, and the race organisation did retiring renners Stam and De Neef proud.

Gent Six Days 2011
Ed asked the big, chisel-jawed fellow looking after the German youngsters if ‘the lad Hesslich is related to Lutz Hesslich?’ He fixed Ed with a Teutonic stare; ‘I am Lutz Hesslich’.
Gent Six Days 2011
Voltech Hacecky only rode the supporting races after his partner Martin Blaha went down with stomach problems.

Meanwhile, the man who could have transformed this race from ‘average’ to ‘outstanding’ – a certain Iljo Keisse by name – was sitting in the stand.

He had a column in the in the Gentenaar for the duration of the Six – but I didn’t see his notebook.

It’s always an anti climax at the end of a Six – especially if you have no one on the podium.

Gent Six Days 2011
A quick shot of winner Kenny before we all head off.
Gent Six Days 2011
Martin spotted Iljo washing glasses in his dad’s bar tonight.

There’s always a shindig at Iljo’s dad’s bar, De Karper after the Six – Jesper, Martin and Gillian went, with John and the Renner crew, but we didn’t have the head for it.

An omelette, one beer and back to the camper.

Gent Six Days 2011
Mrs. Deneef wonders where on earth she’s going to put Steven’s retirement present.
Gent Six Days 2011
Hats off to the GB youngsters for taking the win. Maybe not use the winter bikes for the lap of honour next time though, eh?

Gent Six Day - Results from Night Six, Gent Six Days

Sprints

1 Morgan Kneisky (Fra) / Marc Hester (Den) ADMB 18 pts
2 Jesper Mørkøv (Den) / Benjamin Edmuller (Ger) GEKA Kaas 9
3 Peter Schep / Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey 6
4 Robert Bartko (Ger) / Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Mercator verzekeringen 6
5 Martin Blaha / Voltech Hacecky (Cze) Oudendijk 6
6 Luke Roberts / Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Caruur 5
7 Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) / Leon Van Bon (Ned) VDK 5
8 Claudio Imhof / Silvan Dillier (Swi) Eurotyre Bandencentrales 3
9 Steven Deneef (Bel) / Andreas Muller (Aut) Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen 3
10 Robert Bengsch / Marcel Barth (Ger) AVS 3
11 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) / Leif Lampater (Ger) Lotto 2
12 Franco Marvulli (Swi) / Christian Grasmann (Ger) Callant – Santens
13 Danny Stam (Ned) / Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen

Team elimination

1 Franco Marvulli (Swi) / Christian Grasmann (Ger) Callant – Santens 20 pts
2 Danny Stam (Ned) / Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 12
3 Claudio Imhof / Silvan Dillier (Swi) Eurotyre Bandencentrales 10
4 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) / Leif Lampater (Ger) Lotto 8
5 Robert Bartko (Ger) / Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Mercator verzekeringen 6
6 Morgan Kneisky (Fra) / Marc Hester (Den) ADMB 4
7 Peter Schep / Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey
8 Jesper Mørkøv (Den) / Benjamin Edmuller (Ger) GEKA Kaas
9 Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) / Leon Van Bon (Ned) VDK
10 Steven Deneef (Bel) / Andreas Muller (Aut) Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen
11 Luke Roberts / Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Caruur
12 Robert Bengsch / Marcel Barth (Ger) AVS

Flying lap

1 Peter Schep / Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey 8.73
2 Claudio Imhof / Silvan Dillier (Swi) Eurotyre Bandencentrales 8.91
4 Franco Marvulli (Swi) / Christian Grasmann (Ger) Callant – Santens 9.02
5 Morgan Kneisky (Fra) / Marc Hester (Den) ADMB 9.05
6 Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) / Leon Van Bon (Ned) VDK 9.10
7 Danny Stam (Ned) / Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 9.20
8 Luke Roberts / Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Caruur 9.21
9 Steven Deneef (Bel) / Andreas Muller (Aut) Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen 9.43
10 Jesper Mørkøv (Den) / Benjamin Edmuller (Ger) GEKA Kaas 9.45
11 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) / Leif Lampater (Ger) Lotto 9.67
12 Robert Bengsch / Marcel Barth (Ger) AVS 9.71

Derny 1

1 Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Mercator verzekeringen 5 pts
2 Christian Grasmann (Ger) Callant – Santens 4
3 Marc Hester (Den) ADMB 3
4 Voltech Hacecky (Cze) Oudendijk 2
5 Claudio Imhof (Swi) Eurotyre Bandencentrales 1
6 Jesper Mørkøv (Den) GEKA Kaas

Elimination

1 Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Caruur 10 pts
2 Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) VDK 6
3 Benjamin Edmuller (Ger) GEKA Kaas 5
4 Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 4
5 Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey 3
6 Marcel Barth (Ger) AVS 2
7 Andreas Muller (Aut) Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen
8 Leif Lampater (Ger) Lotto
9 Morgan Kneisky (Fra) ADMB
10 Robert Bartko (Ger) Mercator verzekeringen
11 Franco Marvulli (Swi) Callant – Santens
12 Silvan Dillier (Swi) Eurotyre Bandencentrales

Derny 2

1 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto 5 pts
2 Peter Schep (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey 4
3 Danny Stam (Ned) Topsport Vlaanderen 3
4 Steven Deneef Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen 2
5 Leon Van Bon (Ned) VDK 1
6 Luke Roberts (Aus) Caruur

500m time trial

1 Peter Schep / Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey 27.79
2 Claudio Imhof / Silvan Dillier (Swi) Eurotyre Bandencentrales 28.16
3 Robert Bartko (Ger) / Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Mercator verzekeringen 28.21
4 Morgan Kneisky (Fra) / Marc Hester (Den) ADMB 28.66
5 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) / Leif Lampater (Ger) Lotto 28.78
6 Luke Roberts / Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Caruur 28.84
7 Franco Marvulli (Swi) / Christian Grasmann (Ger) Callant – Santens 29.24
8 Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) / Leon Van Bon (Ned) VDK 29.35
9 Robert Bengsch / Marcel Barth (Ger) AVS 30.46
10 Danny Stam (Ned) / Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 30.54
11 Steven Deneef (Bel) / Andreas Muller (Aut) Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen 31.08
12 Jesper Mørkøv (Den) / Benjamin Edmuller (Ger) GEKA Kaas 31.36

Final derny

1 Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Mercator verzekeringen 5 pts
2 Peter Schep (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey 4
3 Danny Stam (Ned) Topsport Vlaanderen 3
4 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto 2
5 Marc Hester (Den) ADMB 1
6 Christian Grasmann (Ger) Callant – Santens

Scratch

1 Steven Deneef (Bel) / Andreas Muller (Aut) Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen 10 pts
2 Jesper Mørkøv (Den) / Benjamin Edmuller (Ger) GEKA Kaas 11
3 Claudio Imhof / Silvan Dillier (Swi) Eurotyre Bandencentrales 4
4 Luke Roberts / Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Caruur 3
5 Franco Marvulli (Swi) / Christian Grasmann (Ger) Callant – Santens 2
6 Peter Schep / Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey
7 Morgan Kneisky (Fra) / Marc Hester (Den) ADMB
8 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) / Leif Lampater (Ger) Lotto
9 Robert Bartko (Ger) / Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Mercator verzekeringen
10 Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) / Leon Van Bon (Ned) VDK
11 Danny Stam (Ned) / Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen
12 Robert Bengsch / Marcel Barth (Ger) AVS
13 Martin Blaha / Voltech Hacecky (Cze) Oudendijk

Gent Six Days - Final standings

1 Robert Bartko (Ger) / Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Mercator verzekeringen 346 pts
@ 1 lap
2 Peter Schep / Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Mega Doe-het-zelf Deschacht – John Saey 352
3 Morgan Kneisky (Fra) / Marc Hester (Den) ADMB 339
4 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) / Leif Lampater (Ger) Lotto 280
@ 2 laps
5 Franco Marvulli (Swi) / Christian Grasmann (Ger) Callant – Santens 372
6 Danny Stam (Ned) / Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 228
@ 5 laps
7 Claudio Imhof / Silvan Dillier (Swi) Eurotyre Bandencentrales 288
@ 8 laps
8 Luke Roberts / Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Caruur 188
9 Steven Deneef (Bel) / Andreas Muller (Aut) Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen 119
10 Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) / Leon Van Bon (Ned) VDK 156
@ 10 laps
11 Robert Bengsch / Marcel Barth (Ger) AVS 130
@ 19 laps
12 Jesper Mørkøv (Den) / Benjamin Edmuller (Ger) GEKA Kaas 110
Gent Six Days 2011
That’s it until next year. Cheers!
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.

Related Articles

Tour of Britain 2007 – Day 1: Prologue, Crystal Palace

After making such a good job of his diary for Pez in the Tour of Ireland, DFL professional Evan Oliphant will be giving VeloVeritas the low-down on his home Tour, which started in London today at Crystal Palace and finishes in Glasgow on Saturday; the Tour of Britain 2007. We caught-up with Evan, in the DFL team car, stuck in traffic, listening to the chart show [at max volume] on Radio One, here's what he had to say, (I think!).

Le Tour ’11, Stage 11 – a wet start, typical Pyrenean thunderstorm

It was a very warm evening yesterday, and we wandered back round to the hotel last night after our dinner in the middle of a typical Pyrenean thunderstorm - huge bolts of lightning searing across the sky and claps of thunder which lingered and reverberated for what seemed like 20 seconds. In the space of 5 minutes, the roads were flooded. We went to sleep in our "pod" room to the sound of pouring rain, and woke up to the same - only worse. It wasn't a nice day to be outside, let alone reporting on, or riding, a bike race.

Giro d’Italia – Day 5: Stage 4, Salerno – Montevergine Di Mercogliano

"Rest day", that's a misnomer right away. The ferry was late into Civitavecchia; we had to do a death march with our bags across town to get our Hertz car; then there was a 300 K drive south; the Permanence in Montevergine Di Mercogliano wasn't set-up (there were mountains of rubbish in the streets, so maybe it wasn't surprising) and to finish-off we had to pad the streets of Salerno until we found an internet cafe.

The Copenhagen Six Day 2005

The Copenhagen Six Day 2005; Danny Kaye is telling me over the public address that it's "Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen". I'm not so sure: it's gone 1.00 am and we have 18 Lycra jerseys; 18 under-vests; six pairs of chamois-lined cycling shorts; six pairs of socks and six pairs of track mitts to hand wash, spin dry and hang up to dry in our 'cabin' in the bowels of the stadium. Welcome to the glamorous world of Six Day bicycle racing.

At Random

La Vuelta a España 2014 – Stage 10; Monasterio de Veruela – Borja (ITT), 34.5 km. Nairo Crashes, Contador Leads

Alberto Contador Velasco (Tinkoff & Spain) pulled on the red jersey, raised his bouquet to his adoring fans in Borja then offered his clenched right fist up to his chest. The man has a big heart in there, for sure – all that was missing was Kiss pumping on the PA, ‘Back in the New York Groove,’ the line which goes; ‘this place was meant for me!’

Dan Patten – Riding hard and back to writing about it!

Dan Patten. So its been way too long since my last posting. Since that mid-April time post, my race schedule has increased, my condition also (always a satisfier) whilst the weather like much of europe has continued to be mixed. However with nice spells of nice, sunny belgium days, the good weather has outweighed those bad days....just! We'll get the real low point of these past months out the way first and that came on my return to the UK for the National Championships, which certainly did not go to plan.

Scottish Road Race Championship 2013 – Gary Hand at Last!

On a gloriously sunny Sunday afternoon in North East Scotland, Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes' Gary Hand finally took the Scottish Road Race Championship after a blistering attack on the main climb of the day took him clear of 2012 champion, James McCallum (Rapha Condor JLT) and Davie Lines (MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling) over the top of the hill.

UCI Points and a Pain in the Neck

Long time no blog! Since my last blog a lot has happened in my world. First up was the Superprestige in Zonhoven. I rode really well on the uber-tough sandy course and picked up another top 20, eventually finishing 16th. I was really pleased as I don't get to race in sand much and it shows I have the needed skills to compete well in those conditions which until that race I hadn't really believed I could...