VeloVeritas

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

Fietsenphotography’s John Young has supplied us with lots of great images from the Six Day season this winter, and it’s been great to focus on some racing, rather than all the other stories which mire the sport’s image.

John’s photos have illustrated our recent Diary pieces from Denmark, but we have lots left that we haven’t used, we’re sure you’ll enjoy looking through them to get the flavour of the final Six of the season.

Copenhagen Six Day 2012 – Day Six (0)

The camper, 10:23 Wednesday morning, and it’s all over.

The cabins are bare; Dirk is in his camper headed for Drongen; Jackie and his dad have been safely deposited at the airport and we’re heading into Copenhagen for a little bit of R & R before we get the plane home.

Copenhagen Six Day 2012 – Day Five (0)

It’s another big madison tonight; 75 kilometres/300 laps, but with a ‘twist’-it’s a handicap. Bartko/Lampater, Stam/Stroetinga and Alex/Michael give away six laps to Jackie/Schröder-with the rest of the field somewhere in between.

The final laps count for the overall so there’s no messing; if a big team doesn’t pull the laps back then they’re lost. Really, all that goes before the handicap is just to whet the appetite-there are a lot of nervous cyclists in the cabins.

Copenhagen Six Day 2012 – Day Four (0)

Sprints to start and Hazel Dean thumps out, quality high energy from the 80′s ‘Searchin’-quality. Followed by ‘Livin in America’ from the late, great James Brown-we’re in luck, tonight. And then ‘Cara Mia’ to start the 75 lap chase-I never get tired of that tune.

The two chases weren’t bad at all-for a Sunday, that is.

Copenhagen Six Day 2012 – Day Three (1)

Danny Clark; in a world where the word ‘legend’ is used too often, it’s wholly appropriate in the case of the Australian.

He holds the record for the number of six day starts at 236 and he’s second in the all time winner ranks with 74-unsurprisingly he’s ‘double Recordman’ here at Copenhagen with eight wins off 21 starts. He’s here driving the Derny (and singing!) but clocks up an hour plus on the track every day-he looks better now than he did 20 years ago.

Copenhagen Six Day 2012 – Day Two (0)

‘Rivers of Babylon’ by the Melodians, now there’s a tune to fold jerseys by-until the guy in the cabin next door hops on his rollers, that is. And there was me looking for some peace on a Saturday morning-a split day today with afternoon and evening sessions.

We don’t like double sessions, neither do the riders, but like the song says; ‘That’s just the way it is.’ Last night wasn’t a bad one . . .

Copenhagen Six Day 2012 – Day One (0)

The gun fires, the bongos rattle, ‘Cara Mia’ blasts, the rattle of chains and rumble of rubber on wood builds and the chase which kicks off the 50th Six Days of Copenhagen is up and running. But it’s not any old chase, since I first walked up the steps from the tunnel when we arrived here on Wednesday afternoon the lap board has been displaying a short but grim message-400.

That’s 400 laps at 250 metres for each lap; I’ll help with the arithmetic-100 kilometres.

Copenhagen Six Day 2011 – Day Six, Alex and Michael 3rd in a row (1)

Riccò – you have to respect his 100% commitment to being a moronic little twat.

There was a piece about him on CyclingNews having a ‘kidney problem,’ when I checked the site in the morning, I thought it was a tad strange – how does a super fit young man have a kidney problem?

But the press release I received from Vacansoleil a little later revealed the true horror of the situation…

Copenhagen Six Day 2011-Day Five, The Final Sort-Out Begins (0)

It’s the last day of school today; the six day circus goes to ground until October when-God willing-we head south to Grenoble with its blue skies, snow capped mountains, Follies girls, great bread and French riders who smile, shake your hand and give you a ‘ca va?’ every time they see you-they may not be fast but they’re nice guys.

It’s unlikely there will be any surprises tonight, Alex and Michael are well in charge; I hope that Jens and Marc hold on to second-they deserve it.

Copenhagen Six Day 2011 – Days Three and Four, a Pity about Colby and Jesper’s Bladders (1)

It’s Monday morning, I’ve folded the clothing, tidied the cabin, swept the floor, cleaned the flasks, blah, blah, blah…The wi-fi has decided to visit the cabin and Tommy Hunt is ‘Loving on The Losing Side’ from the laptop – it’s hard to be ‘down’ when the ‘Northern’ is banging out.

The weekend was a bit of a blur; Saturday was a split session – nitemare! Sunday started early and finished early; ‘deep joy’ for boys like me – that’s until two of your guys get picked for ‘control,’ can’t pee and you have to wait two hours for them…

Copenhagen Six Day 2011-Day Two, the Famous ‘Par nr. 7′ (2)

Saturday, 13:20 – the afternoon sesh starts in a few minutes but there’s a distinct lack of riders; this reflects in their (and their runners’) lack of enthusiasm for afternoon sessions – but more of that tomorrow.

Again, it wasn’t the greatest of madison racing last night, but it’s hard for the guys to raise their game if most of the house seats are empty. Michael reckons that ticket sales for Saturday night are good – let’s hope so.

The fact that it’s the last six of the year plays a part, too – it’s definitely a very subdued vibe.

Copenhagen Six Day 2011-Opening Night, It’s Not Like It Used To Be (0)

It wasn’t a great first night, sparse crowds, lack lustre chases and I seemed to spend the whole day gittering about to little effect; but we’re set up, the hotel is great, the boys are all relaxed and it’s Friday – so maybe we’ll get a better crowd.

Copenhagen is ‘old school’ – long chases are what six days are all about say the organisers; I’m not so sure.

A ‘soft’ chase on a 166 metre track is one thing, you just about get away with it, but on the broad acres of a 250 metre track it’s dire, it looks so slow and processional…