O’Malley and Three Hard Core Bike Fans Check out the Ghent 6-Day:(and manage to squeeze in a, few beers in Bruges and a UCI World Cup Cyclo-Cross race at Koksijde)


Mecca
Walking into the kuipke (little bowl) in Ghent is like going back in time when the likes of Merckx, Sercu and De Vlamenick sped around the boards wooing the Belgian crowds to their feet with roars of thrilling national pride.


De Vlaeminck and Merckx – mid-seventies

When we walked in and saw the majesty of the kuipke, it was an overwhelming experience. I have ridden a few track races, Trexlertown and Kissena, but upon being seated by the officials the word little bowl faded away. Instead words like massive banking, steep, steep wall replaced kuipke.

Perfect for a Jaunt in Kissena
The array of machines in the centre awaiting mechanics or riders was astounding: Brands like Hoga, Beaone. The Ghent Six-Day began in its modern reincarnation in 1922 and continued until 1927 with a nine year hiatus until 1936 and 1938. World War II created a vacuum of another nine years but from 1947 the six-days continued uninterrupted right up to 2010.


A Selection of Track Bikes
One of the competitors at this year’s six-day was Harlem Crit winner, Leif Lampater when he crossed the line with team mate Christian Grassman, 13 seconds ahead of local lad Melito Heredia. At Ghent he was partnering with Belgian, Kenny de Ketele.


Derny Motos await their riders as teams ride two abreast before the start.

During one of the most spectacular races of the final day, derny racing, de Ketele was making a move with 7 laps to go at top speed behind his derny partner, when his bike fish-tailed. There was a collective heart stopping groan from the audience. But miraculously de Ketele kept the bike upright. The race had slowed down but once it was clear he had managed to stay away from trouble, Belgian, Iljo Keisse (of QuickStep and the hometown favorite) powered to a win.


Track Bike Heaven

Keisse and his partner won the 70th Ghent Six-Day with 406 points, 61 points more than Lampater and de Ketele.


Keisse and Schep take the 70th edition

One of the competitions was the 500m against the clock. Two riders ride around the track, 166m, three times, but the last lap one of the riders is catapulted by his partner. 

Here were some of the fastest times: two pairs got the EXACT time for 500m.