Ed Monitor-Aspect: A few weeks in the past Ed Hood was spectating on the ‘Six Days’ of Gent, now he’s on the opposite aspect of the boards working within the observe centre in Rotterdam. Right here Ed tells us all about his first three nights on the Dutch ‘6 Days’.
These Venga Boys, they ‘Wish to Social gathering,’ the ‘speaker’ is getting excited; ‘ho, ho, ho !’ the bone arduous Contis rumble on the boards, the 1/8” pitch chains rattle – it’s good to be again, there’s NOTHiNG like a six day.
Wednesday morning, Rotterdam Night time One handed with out incident; the cabins are tidied, the drinks bottles are washed, the tricots folded and positioned with the clear shorts, socks and observe mitts for our three riders – and my toes damage from these concrete flooring.
Our three fees are:
Wojciech Pszczolarski [Poland] 31 years-old and a former European u23 and Elite Champion within the factors race and Elite European Champion within the madison in addition to former Polish Champion in each disciplines.
Bartosz Rudyk [Poland] 24 years-old who rides with Wojciech and is a former European Champion within the u23 scratch race and a a number of medallist in Polish Championships – within the omnium, group dash, madison and particular person pursuit. Not a nasty street rider both.
Denis Rugovac [Czech] 29 years-old and a a number of Czech observe championship medallist – he rides with aggressive Italian Matteo Donega who has his personal helper. All three are skilled six day riders who we’ve labored with earlier than – ‘laid again’ and simple to work with, no ‘Prima Donnas’ in our cabin. Night time One Rotterdam? In a nutshell?
‘The Yoeri Havik Present,’ – with accomplice and fellow ‘house boy,’ Niki Terpstra he received each madisons then, on his personal the elimination and ‘Supersprint’ – a ‘factors elimination.’ However like he advised us; “I’m World Champion and anticipated to placed on a present for my house public.”
However earlier than we get into this race, let’s discuss somewhat historical past in regards to the Rotterdam Six Day:
- First held: In 1936 however there have been numerous hiatus – not least World Struggle Two – making this version 39.
- ‘Recordman’ is house boy Rene Pijnen – who rode 233 six days throughout his profession, second solely to Danny Clark (235) so far as variety of begins go; Pijnen received 72 of these races so is third greatest on wins behind Patrick Sercu (88) and Danny Clark (74).
- Ten of Pijnen’s wins got here right here in Rotterdam, which unsurprisingly makes him ‘recordman’ – he received 4 occasions with countryman the late Leo Duyndam, thrice with Aussie, Clark, twice with Belgian Legend, the late, nice Patrick Sercu and as soon as with huge Suisse, Urs Freuler.
- The final version of the race – pre-Covid – was held in 2020 with native hero Yoeri Havik partnering now retired compatriot Wim Stroetinga to victory.
- Aside from Danny Clark the one different ‘Anglo’ winner is Tony Doyle who partnered Clark in 1988.
- The observe is a short lived construction, on metal frames with plywood using floor, 200 metres, 13.5 levels within the straights and 49.5 on the bankings.
- Monitor document is 9.852 seconds set by present dash Dutch World dash king, Harrie Lavreysen in 2020 on the final version of the race.
And that’s sufficient phrases for as we speak besides – coolest man on the boards?
Italia and INEOS quick man Elia Viviani is paired with 23 years-old Dutchman, Vincent Hoppezak, the group is sponsored by Jordex a Dutch delivery firm, their firm colors are orange and black – take a look at Elia’s helmet, glasses, mitts, socks and sneakers. Class.
Night time Two:
Tonight was a rolling presentation, many of the riders choose that to particular person intros within the observe centre – no boring interviews and it loosens tight legs.
‘Again within the day,’ once I first labored on the six days many of the riders would go up on the boards within the afternoon to stretch their legs – not nowadays.
They like their sprinting right here in Rotterdam, not least as a result of the Dutch are the dominant pressure in world sprinting, that’s World Dash and Keirin Champion, Harrie Lavreysen on the correct, subsequent to him is World Kilometre Champion, Jeffrey Hoogland. The one Worlds dash self-discipline they missed out on was the group dash the place the Aussies shocked everybody. Our man, Thomas Babek is ‘fairly in pink’ within the image, a former European Kilometre Champion and a a number of Czech Champion in all of the dash disciplines.
And also you solely assume you’ve seen an extended handlebar extension till you see the 18 cm. job on Thomas’s Argon. He was a ‘LOOK man’ however says the Argon is way stiffer than the French marque; our six day man Wojciech has, ‘gone Argon’ too, he was a Cervelo man – however as an endurance rider reckons there’s little to selected between the frames.
The primary madison went to the Swiss/Spanish duo of Claudio Imhof and Seb Mora; the Suisse received the current UCi Monitor Champions League while Mora is an completed six day man having received right here with Alberto Torres in 2016.
In addition to Imhof/Mora within the working for a podium there’s the younger Belgian duo of Gent Six Day winner, Lindsay De Vylder and Jules Hester. Each journey for Sport Vlaanderen which turns into Crew Flanders-Baloise for 2023 and are a number of nationwide medallist and champions on the observe.
‘Males in Black,’ Viviani/Hoppezak should be thought-about too, Viviani’s skills communicate for themselves while the younger Dutchman is on the ‘up.’
The ultimate podium contenders are BiG Roger Kluge and Dutch quick man, Cees Bol. Regardless of Kluge’s energy and palmarès Lotto haven’t retained him and he rides in 2023 with German continental group Rad-Internet together with many of the German nationwide observe squad. Kluge has been twice World Madison Champion however is a humble and approachable man, the precise reverse of some younger riders right here who don’t have a tenth of his palmarès. Bol too, at time of writing is off the World Tour, he was to hitch Cav as a part of the Manxman’s ‘prepare’ at B&B Motels however that has evaporated. Bol was a product of the SEG Biking Academy and when he turned full professional in 2019 with Sunweb and promptly received Nokere Koerse it appeared like he was going to be one of many, ‘subsequent huge issues.’ However regardless of stage wins in Paris-Good in 2021 and extra lately the Tour of Britain he’s not had the influence most anticipated.
The group elimination went to Yoeri and Niki, the latter on a white body with bling, ‘Niki’ graphics.
And the flying lap to the Danish duo of six day stalwart Marc Hester & teenager, Matias Malmberg. The primary, wee bit lame, madison of the night time went to Viviani & Hoppezak; and as Wojciech says; “as soon as the large chase is over, that’s the true racing completed, the remainder are just like the final stage of the Tour de France, for present,”
After which it was Derny time, Wojciech right here behind Derny professional pilot Peter Baurlein. I bear in mind at my first six day I used to be so happy and excited the primary time I pushed off a rider in a Derny race, now it’s a chore – however simply a part of the deal.
Yoeri received, no surprises there – one other elimination, one other Derny. . .
Time to tidy the observe cabins, face all these stairs and kind the washing.
Night time Three:
The underneath 23 riders begin the racing every night time, I actually should get down earlier and watch.
It was one other rolling presentation which supplies me a great probability to get ‘again up’ pics of all of the groups.
Then it was sprinter time, Harrie Layreysen is way from the ‘smug, man mountain’ sprinter stereo sort – he’s an enormous man however not large and is in affable temper right here at his house six day, successful nearly every thing.
Our Czech sprinter, Tomas is simple going too however hasn’t been a Worlds Keirin medallist as a result of he’s a wimp.
A face I noticed within the observe centre was that of Derny pacer legend and a person who ought to actually have been Oscar nominated for his final lap performances behind the ‘bars of his well-known gold Derny, Joop Zijlaard – he owns two eating places in Rotterdam, one a steak home, the opposite specialises in mussels.
The opening madison went to group six, 22 year-old Dutchman Philip Heijnen, whose European u23 madison champion and rides right here with 20 years-old German, Tim Torn Teutenberg who’s with the Leopard group and a good roadman. The chase music choice is correct six day stuff, Duck Soup and ‘Barbara Streisand,’ Lou Bega and ‘Mambo No. 5,’ The Mavericks and ‘Dance the Night time Away,’ the Blues Brothers and ‘All people Wants Any individual to Love’ and, in fact, them Venga Boys.
Our guys are actually right here to refill the sphere, only a few people in Rotterdam are that fascinated about Czech or Polish riders however our boy Denis and his gung-ho accomplice, Italy’s Italy’s Matteo Donega are not at all making fools of themselves.
Viviani and Hoppezak took the flying lap with the Italian having taken his color coordination even additional, now with orange stripes on his Pinarello.
Niki and Yoeri had been, ‘up for it’ and visibly upset to not get the win – however that’s present biz. Take a look at Yoeri’s Dutch Federation, carbon aero sneakers.
Large Roger’s quaint rollers heat up labored properly and he received the Derny.
While Lindsay De Vylder prefers the hi-tech Wahoo arrange.
It labored for the younger Belgian and accomplice Jules Hesters who ended the night time in yellow. Nevertheless, it’s arduous to see previous Messrs. Havik and Terpstra within the ultimate reckoning. Yoeri was explaining to us that Niki was lower than happy together with his personal type within the Three Days of Copenhagen which was run off a number of weeks again and since then he’s been out battering himself behind the Derny and doing common madison observe coaching classes with Yoeri. As Yoeri advised us; “I’ve to be impressed by Niki’s perspective, he may simply say; ‘it’s my final race, so what ?’ nevertheless it’s not like that in any respect, he desires to exit on the high.”
And as regards to ‘going out’ that’s us half means house. . .
# Keep PEZ for Ed’s half 2 from the Rotterdam ‘6 Days’ and the ultimate three night time. #
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