Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Berlin Six Day 2019 – Wrap Up

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HomeDiariesBerlin Six Day 2019 - Wrap Up

It was lucky 13 for Roger Kluge & Theo Reinhardt; that was the number of laps remaining in the final chase in the Berlin Six Day 2019 on Tuesday night when big Lotto Home Boy, Kluge launched the attack which produced the winning lap gain to take the Deutsche Duo clear of ‘Double Danskas’ Jesper Mørkøv & Marc Hester with their superior scandic points tally.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Roger Kluge & Theo Reinhardt. Photo©Ed Hood
Berlin Six Day 2019
Jesper Mørkøv & Marc Hester. Photo©Ed Hood

The crowd were in raptures; down among the camp followers there were more than a few yawns.

A more cynical man than me might suggest that it was helpful when the peloton parked up as soon as Big Rodge bolted – but I’d never imply such a thing.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Big Roger gets thrown in. Photo©Ed Hood

That said, Kluge was the strongest man on the boards albeit he’s a World Tour Giro stage winner riding against a field where some of the opposition aren’t even at Continental team level. 

Berlin Six Day 2019
Andreas Graf thrown in by Andreas Müller. Photo©Ed Hood

Austrian ‘Andreas x 2’, Müller and Graf took the final spot on the podium.

My last Six Day was Bremen with its 160 metre wall of death plywood bowl squeezed into a far from huge exhibition hall.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Photo©Ed Hood

I parachuted into Berlin for the final night to help Kris break camp and then take the long trek north on the concrete section to Rostock, the Baltic ferry to Denmark, then run north across frozen, flat fields and the Copenhagen Six Day.

When I emerged from the tunnel at the Berlin Velodrome, even though I’ve been there many times, I was struck by the sheer scale of the place.

The largest unsupported steel roof in Europe hovers over a 250 metre track with towering, golden Siberian pine bankings designed to handle huge stayer racing speeds.

There’s seating by the acre, artificial light to drive a green energy fanatic to drink and a sound system blasting out everything from Kiss to the Black Eyed Peas.

Impressive.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Photo©Ed Hood

And good to see that in this politically correct world there are no scantily clad podium girls…

Our charges are Aussies Joshua Harrison and Stephen Hall.

Josh was World Junior Team Pursuit Champion in 2013 and is reigning Oceania Points, Scratch and Omnium Champion whilst Stephen has won races as diverse as the US Sprint GP at Trexlertown Velodrome, via a stage in the Tour of Thailand to the 2017 Australian Team Pursuit Championships and the GP Mengoni in New York City.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Joshua Harrison & Stephen Hall. Photo©Ed Hood

Josh had to sit out the last night due to problems with his shoulder so Stephen teamed up with big Englishman, Chris Latham whose partner Andrew Tennant is out with illness. 

Berlin Six Day 2019
Photo©Ed Hood

This is a Madison Group production so no rolling presentation; the teams walk up a ramp to a central stage in the track centre – and the guy providing the backing music on the sax was actually very good.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Andreases Müller & Graf are interviewed. Photo©Ed Hood

The first chase went to the Austrians; even though Andreas Müller has Austrian nationality, he’s a Berlin boy and the crowd always like a home win.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Photo©Ed Hood

The old Bee Emms roared into life and it was ‘stayer’ time – the Berlin crowd loves the big motor pacing even if the noise and exhaust fumes are hard work.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Matt Gittings. Photo©Ed Hood

Young Englishman Matt Gittings, is over from the US where he runs cycling programmes at Marian University and the Indianapolis velodrome.

He was out front early – never a good thing in a stayer race – and sure enough, the rest picked him off, one by one.

But good to see a Brit behind the big motors, a rare sight these days.

If there’s one thing the Berliner crowd likes more than their stayers, it’s their sprinters – and Home Boy Max Levy in particular, who’s been around forever.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Max Levy. Photo©Ed Hood

‘Their’ Max was quickest in the flying lap with a 12.2, to the delight of the crowd.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Shane Perkins with Denis Dmitriev. Photo©Ed Hood

Also scorching the boards were, former Commonweaith and world champion – and current Russian Keirin Champion, ‘Rustralian’ Shane Perkins and not to be messed with Russian ‘Bond Villain’ lookalike Denis Dmitriev. 

Berlin Six Day 2019
Stephen Hall. Photo©Ed Hood

I remember the days when sprinters rode 50 or 51 tooth chainrings; now it’s 63…

Berlin Six Day 2019
Photo©Ed Hood
Berlin Six Day 2019
The World Champions on the ‘cinema sofa’, eating ice cream. Photo©Ed Hood
Berlin Six Day 2019
Photo©Ed Hood

The 500 metre double harness time trial saw Big Rodge and Theo on the couch enjoying some victuals whilst the rest of the field tried to beat the two world champion’s ‘best time of the week.’

Berlin Six Day 2019
‘Our boys’. Photo©Ed Hood

Of course, no one could.

Derny time; you either love them or hate them – I’m not saying which camp I’m in.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Jesper Mørkøv. Photo©Ed Hood

Former European Derny Champion, Jesper Mørkøv came late – don’t they always – to win in spectacular fashion.

It brought the house down – naturally.

The big guys got back up on the boards and Rustralian Shane was best in the Keirin.

The Six Day riders programme wasn’t heavy – it’s all about the big chase on a last night – but they did get up for the elimination which was won by ‘coming’ Six Day man, Rob Ghys of Belgium.

Berlin Six Day 2019
Rob Ghys. Photo©Ed Hood

Ghys is a multiple Belgian champion on the track and reigning European Madison Champion with Topsport team mate, Kenny De Ketele.

Kenny broke his collar bone in Rotterdam but will be back for Copenhagen – you can’t keep them Belgian Six Day boys down. 

More sprinting, this time the match final and it’s more Max – my, that was a surprise…

Big chase time – as soon as the gun fires we begin packing and miss the first half of events.

Going in to the last hour it was the Danes in the lead with little between the top five teams.

By the time I’d humped the dryer, flasks, cool box, cushions and bottles the chase was well on but it was late in the day when Kluge rose from the saddle and flung himself into the attack which would win him the race.

It didn’t take long, maybe three or four laps; perhaps I imagined those chases ‘back in the day’ when the team going for the winning lap was hung out front to fight for five minutes – not laps – before the junction was made just as the bell rang?

Berlin Six Day 2019
Roger Kluge knows it’s won. Photo©Ed Hood

Roger even permitted himself a half smile as he came round to make contact with the tail of the string.

Game over.

No time for podium pics for me, we have kilometres to cover and a ferry to catch and the next race to nowhere – on the other side of the Baltic, up in Copenhagen.

Ciao!

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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