Day Four
‘Easy like Sunday morning’ at the Bremen Six Day 2019?
“Nae, nae, nae!” as they say in Belgium.
Bed was well past 02:00am with racing starting again at 11:00am – crazy.
The young Danish number seven Oliver Wulff wins the Devil; his dad is looking after him and they share a cuddle before every race.
Call me ‘old school’ but I think it’s cool.
‘Stand up for the Champions,’ the song that must have made Right Said Fred millionaires booms out for the presentations for the ladies’ Madison.
I missed that one, it was run off before our programme began; and I’m told Kirsten didn’t win – wow!
The chase – not ‘full gas’ but not ‘potato’ either, with teams bleeding a couple of laps as Marguet/Consonni take the flowers.
The sprinters get Queen and Tony Christie, sounds like one of my old 70’s ‘mix tapes’ – Levy wins.
Derny one goes to Jesper Mørkøv and Derny two to Marguet/Consonni – they’re earning their contracts today.
I couldn’t face the nonsense of La-Ola but was cheered by that man Mitchell winning the Keirin – again.
The Pussycat Dolls, ‘Dontcha’ is always a good Madison tune with Jesper Mørkøv & Christian Grasmann taking the honours.
Time for the 500 metre TT and the early times reflect the vibe in the cabins – tired.
Our man Max’s partner, the young Dane, Wulff is well keen to win it, dons the POC aero hat and they go top, over hauling de Pauw/Stroetinga.
Just Marguet/Consonni to come and the Italian’s big World Tour finish kick spoils team number seven’s dream.
Iljo wins the closing Devil and we can all stumble back to the cabins – some to shower and head for a party and the sadder ones to tap laptop keys…
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Day Five
I love my window in the cabin but sometimes it’s better not to see the snowstorm raging outside…
There were polemics after the first chase tonight – which Reinhardt/Hester won, they may well be at the top of the pile tomorrow night? – but some of today’s riders don’t have the political skills of a Bruno Risi, the ‘Capo’ of old, and should remember that no-one likes to be lectured.
It was a funny old night, as if everyone was still a little ‘flat’ from their early Sunday finish and just wanting for it to be Tuesday so it can be sorted out and everyone can go home.
My old amigo, Dirk the mechanic isn’t here for this Six, he’s now on road duty with his Trek team as the new season looms.
I miss his tech chat but we did get a good old talk or two in Rotterdam so rather than the usual ‘who won what’ on an uninspired night, let’s have a look at the Six Day hardware scene…