VeloVeritas

Berlin Six Day 2012 – John’s Photo Album(0)

The Berlin Six Day finished with a win for the Aussie World Champions Cameron Meyer and Leigh Howard (wine gum thief), we hope you enjoyed our daily diaries from the inside.

Also at the track to capture the racing was our pal John Young, of Fietsenphotography, and once again he’s been very nice and supplied us with loads of great images.

Berlin Six Day 2012 – Familientag(0)

Sundays at German Sixes are and have always been ‘family day’ when the programme of sport and entertainment is held during the afternoon rather than in the evening or night. On a cold wind-chilled winter afternoon, local families came along to the Landsberger Allee Velodrome to enjoy the racing and pass on the tradition from one generation to the next.

The race programme kicked off with a series of Sprints won by Kalz – Bengsch who are looking like the real deal this time around and should continue to challenge for a podium place.

Berlin Six Day 2012 – the Story do Far(0)

The 101st Berliner Sechstage Rennen started on Thursday and according to reports the crowds have been down a little on last night.

On the track big gaps have already appeared as the top five teams have started the fight that will conclude in the final hour long Madison on Tuesday night.

Bremen Six Day 2012 – Photo Roundup(0)

Here’s a few photos from the Bremen Six Day that we haven’t used in other articles.

The Time Capsule: An American Team in the Six Days, by Colby Pearce(2)

The experienced American rider Colby Pearce was one of the guys looked after by Kris, Martin and Ed at some of this winters’ Six Days, including the recent event at the Ballerup Stadium in Copenhagen.

Having raced at elite level on the track at the Olympics, at World Cups and in the World Championships, as well as being a National Champion 14 times and holder of the US Hour Record (50.191), together with a spell working as the US Track Coach, Colby had seen most of what track cycling had to offer.

One element was missing though: Six Day Racing…

Gent Six Day 2009 Finalé-Revisited(0)

The Gent Six day kicks off next week, so as a way to build the excitement we thought we’d revisit last year’s finalé, with VeloVeritas’ own Ed Hood there and working for the Danish World Madison Champions, Saxo Bank riders Alex Rasmussen and Michael Mørkøv, as well as Swiss star Franco Marvulli. Read on!…

Dimitri De Fauw(1)

It’s easy to write an obituary when one of your heroes dies – probably more so if you don’t know them well.

There’s just the legend, palmares, anecdotes and the sadness.

But I knew Dimitri De Fauw, not well, but I worked at maybe half-a-dozen six day races where he was riding.

Gary Wiggins – Nobody messed with ‘the Doc’(0)

The tall, raw-boned rider ambled across to the barrier; he was broad and square across the shoulders, big-thighed and walked with a loose-limbed gait. His long legs made easy work of straddling the steel fence which separated the riders’ enclosure from the paying public at the Gent six, back in the early 80′s.

As he headed-off to his cabin, a mechanic looked-up from the already-gleaming machine he was polishing and gave a cheerful; ‘Hi Gary!’
The rider said nothing, but acknowledged the greeting with an ‘energy-saver’ nod.

My buddy, Fraser who was staying in Gent at the time, explained the dynamic to me; “that’s Sercu’s (Patrick Sercu, undisputed king of the sixes, with 88 wins) personal mechanic, he speaks to no one, he thinks he’s superior to everyone, he always talks to Gary though – ‘nobody messes with The Doc!”

The Copenhagen Six Day 2005(0)

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.