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Zesdaagse van Hasselt Diary  |
We have a room in the Holiday Inn Express, beats the zed beds at Grenoble and the bin store at Berlin.
It was snowing hard when we left for the track this morning but it turned to rain as the morning progressed.
The venue is an exhibition hall and the track is portable - it's used at Rotterdam and Maastricht too. It takes a small fleet of trucks to drive it around but Kris reckons they can erect it from scratch in 16 hours. The surface is plywood and it's quite narrow, especially with 13 teams up there. The stands are temporary scaffold-jobs too with a high-level restaurant set-up at one end - it all looks good.
It's 2.15 pm and we have the cabins set-up, the main cabin for massage and washing is miles from the track, upstairs in the complex and after 3.00 pm access to the track centre is by a high scaffold bridge.
Before 3.00 pm, there's a section of the track which is removed to give access to the centre - much easier on the legs than tramping over the bridge.
We only have two riders - Franco Marvulli of Switzerland and Marc Ryan of New Zealand.
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| Franco & Marc discussing the merits of their support team? |
If you count his wins in Summer sixes in Italy and Mexico he's actually had seven wins. He's ten years younger than Bruno so if he can hold his motivation, he has a long, lucrative career ahead of him.
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| Marc Ryan |
It's 17.00 now and we've just had dinner, it's still a "buzz" sitting down at a table with Franco, Marco Villa and Peter Schep. Marco was moaning about the cost of car hire in Italy, quick as a flash, Schep piped-up; "they must have heard what your start-money is, Marco!"
Sven Nijs was at the next table, he has a pursuit match against Erwin Vervecken as the opener to the race at 19.30. The food is good in the kitchen - does the morale no harm.
Warm-up time - Peter Schep, tall and classy, at one with his bike; Danny Stam with his skinny little legs, how does he go so fast?
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| Danny Stam & Robert Slippens |
Show time is getting close, 19.00 and the juniors are on the track.
Marc is a bit nervous, it feels strange to be explaining things to a rider. The cyclo-cross pursuit went to Nijs, looking very business-like on a low-pro Colnago.
Big Vervecken was on a standard Ridley track bike with clip-ons, he couldn't get low enough and the words "coo" and "gun" come to mind.
The presentation has finished, the gun has just gone, it's 20.15 and we have 6 @ 10 lap sprints to fight for.
It wasn't a night of great racing but it was honest and hard, there were no presents in the madison and lots of strained faces. Bruno and Franco won the chase and look to be in a different league.
Marc lost six laps and Dorich came round to the cabin to give him some advice, he was patient and friendly towards the youngster - now I see why they put the new guys with him.
Slippens was clearly hurting, so I don't think the Dutch can win. Keisse is very serious about winning here, just a little example - he had Clement white strip tyres on his time trial machine, but I can't see him and Marco Villa getting the better of the Swiss.
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| Iljo Keisse |
After the madison there was a brass band in action - the word "horrendous" just doesn't do them justice.
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By midnight there were only a smattering of fans left in the hall as Marco Villa got his birthday present - a win in the derny final. It was 2.00 am when we got to bed but we've got the lead, there's not too much washing to do, it's a good kitchen and the snow has stopped - musn't grumble.
Day 2 - Friday 9th February, 2007
"Aint go bump no mo' with no big fat woman!" Seventies disco and six-day racing - Hot Chocolate, Van McCoy, Cool and the Gang and Joe Tex; the biz! It's 19.35 and the theme from Chariots of Fire is blasting-out, we're off!
A sprint series to start, then a team devil, which Bruno and Franco win - they want those points - 15 for a win.
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| Bruno & Frank talk tactics and enjoy the break during the sprint events |
What ever else De Fauw may be, he's rapid; Franco gives us a little dance to celebrate the win.
Derny time but the crowd is still thin; the venue's location, in an industrial estate on the fringes of town doesn't help. Franco tells me; 'I hate the Dernys man!' Keisse wins, now isn't that a surprise?
One of the security guys comes to see me; "Guys to see you, from Schkotlant." It's Stuart Anthony and John Young from Edinburgh, beers in hand and there to worship their god - Bruno; nice to see them. Kris doesn't believe I didn't have a beer with them.
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| Stuart & John are regular visitors to the Pro sixes |
Matt Gilmore comes to visit, the other riders seem completely under-whelmed, but Matt doesn't appear to notice, or care. It's a hard question; "what do you do if you are a six day rider, but can't ride them?"
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| Matt Gilmore |
One lap time trial next; Bruno does the three lap wind-up and Franco gives it the gas for the timing beam, but just as Bruno reaches back to give Franco the hand-sling, Franco's tyre catches a bump on the boards and he has to grab the bars to avoid crashing.
Bruno aint happy, but they get another chance. "Kris," I say, "am I right in assuming that if that was any other rider than Bruno, they wouldn't get another kick at the ball?" Kris just smiles.
Second time round they are quick, but not as quick as big-diesel wind-up man Aeschbach and the flying De Fauw who win by a street. The chase is last event tonight, 50 minutes plus ten laps. There's a gentlemen's agreement for the first few laps just to ride the legs in before the big guns fire.
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It's not as good a race as last night, Franco and Bruno are flying; Villa is his usual rock-solid self and Keisse is eager to impress, word is that he sat-out Stuttgart as part of his preparation for this race.
Slippens isn't back to his best yet, that look on his face when he's "resting" tells its own story, he and Stam look like third place to me.
Aeschbach is strong and reliable but De Fauw hasn't got it when the chases are hard - if he did, then he wouldn't have all that speed too.
Villa and Keisse top the board at the end of the night - Iljo's dad will be chuffed at least. By the time I leave the track centre, most of the mecanics are well drunk.
Talking of which, we had ONE beer with John and Stuart after the race, a good bar too - disco, Johny Cash and 50's stuff. It's just a pity it was 02.30 am, that didn't bother the derny drivers who were there for a full sesh by the looks of things. The fat guy scooping like an expert was Michel Vaarten, former Olympic kilometre medallist and six day man; fame - it's a fleeting thing.
Talk to you tomorrow, we'll be half way by then.
Day 3 - Saturday 10th February, 2007
It's 18.00, the juniors are up and keeping the red cross busy.
At a time when any sensible person is contemplating a movie then a nice pasta and bottle of red at their favourite Italian restaurant in the company of their sweetheart, we're just about to start work - the deal for our Saturday night is:
19.50: 60 lap points
20.10: Team devil
20.30: Three lap time trial
20.55: 50 lap derny
21.10: Individual devil
21.25: 50 lap derny, heat 2
22.00: 7 x 10 lap sprint
22.15: 25 lap scratch
22.25: 60 lap derny final
22.40: Flying lap
23.00: 60 minute chase
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| Dimitri De Fauw |
On the way into the track centre I spotted a gang of nutters in blue wigs, I should have guessed - the Dimitri De Fauw fan club; during the rolling presentation they were going wild with the air horns for their boy.
The place isn't even half full, so anything to liven it up must be welcome.
Marc is a lot more relaxed tonight, Kris explained things to me - Marc is my rider, 'cos he's last on the classement, whilst Franco is his rider 'cos he's probably going to win; fair enough.
My boy picked up five points for a sprint-win just then, so things are looking-up!
Franco and Bruno were second in the team devil, Slippens and Stam won, but I know the times when Franco is "full-gas" and that wasn't one of them.
The next race was different - the three lap time trial. The time tests are good because they are 100% honest, there's manual and electronic timing.
Aeschbach and De Fauw were well clear on 34.12 and it looked like his fan club were in for an air-horn-fest. Franco had other ideas and this time he was "full-gas" - 33.73, just off the track record. Villa and Keisse were half way down the field and Slippens and Stam were last - those watches don't lie.
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| Iljo Keisse and Marco Villa enjoying good form |
At 22.35 it's the 25 lap scratch, the major part of it consists of the string swooping up and down the track, Gerd Dorich at the head as the Euro-pop belts-out and a singer joins-in, yes; it's as bad as it sounds! Deneef and Van Mechelen won, it's about time they got some points.
Derny time, usually they are arranged - only two guys will win this one, despite the presence of Risi it will be Kenny de Ketele or Dimitri De Fauw, local guys always win the derny. There's the bell - it's Deketele, I would have thought De Fauw, he has the most fans here but he'll almost certainly win the flying lap so his fans can go home happy too.
The flying lap - Franco and Bruno 10.79, it's good, but Aeschbach kills himself on the third wind-up lap and hurls De Fauw through the timing beam like there's a world title at stake. De Fauw doesn't disappoint - he looks great on a bike at speed - 10.57; the fan club can go home happy.
What have Auctermuchty and Hasselt got in common?
The Proclaimers!
"...And I would walk 500 miles..."
Good music for the chase but the hall has gone from being like a suana to freezing - Bruno is gesticulating to the organisers to shut the doors and/or turn-up the heating. It's all pretty predictable stuff, maybe it will catch light in the last 30 minutes?
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| Beikirch punctures and gets sorted out with a new wheel in the space of 4 laps! |
Candi Statten welcomes him back into the fray - "Young hearts, run free..."
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| With Kris' help, Marc prepares to get some laps back from Bruno |
Marc gets his lap... then bang!
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| Marc Hester - down & out |
Marc Hester goes down, right next to the pits, he doesn't get up and has to be stretchered out. World points champion, Peter Schep isn't impressed at me taking pictures - but it's what I do.
The boys come in for a change as the race is neutralised, the hall really is cold now and Kris reckons guys will get sick because of the temperature changes.
After that it's a bit of a damp squib, the big guys don't really race and the minnows snaffle laps back.
Defauw/Aeschbach win, Bruno and Franco hold-on to the lead on points then it's pack-up time. Franco has a "controle" - dope test and we have to remind him not to go for a wee - that stuff is precious: at Grenoble he kept us up until God-knows when because he couldn't produce a sample.
Thankfully it doesn't take too long and now we just need to wait on him finishing his meal, it's early yet - 01.25 am. With any luck we'll be in bed for 02.00 am.
Talk to you tomorrow.
Day 4 - Sunday 11th February, 2007
Kris was just telling us that oxygen cylinders are banned from track centres under UCI regulations. Marc piped-up; "that's a pity, I could have done with a cylinder strapped to my back on the first night!"
He's one of the boys now, amazing how much difference a couple of days can make to relationships. It's wet outside and very warm in here, there was a big junior and ladies programme in the morning, complete with the usual crashes. Belgian junior track racing is not for those of a nervous disposition.
The first race for us was a points, both Franco
and Marc are compaining of "heavy legs", maybe due to being
on the track at 14.00 instead of 20.00.
I asked Patrick Sercu how Marc Hester is, after his crash; he's fine
but isn't riding tonight. Like Kris says, it's been a bad season for
crashes - we've had two in hospital at Hasselt alone.
There's a bit of glamour been added to proceedings - the Lotto ladies team is being presented. I don't know how good they are, but they certainly look nice.
Derny time, Marc is up, Franco is napping in the cabin.
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| The cabins at Hasselt don't face out towards the spectators like they do in most sixes - here, the riders get just a little more privacy between events. |
We just had a visit from the derny driver - what actually happened was that the saddle on the derny broke, scary at 60 kph at the top of the banking.
Derny heat two and Franco is up, he doesn't like the dernys and hopefully he'll finish fourth or worse so he won't make the final.
That's the last race and if he doesn't make it
then we'll get finished early
Stam is leading just now but Keisse will win - "for sure"
as we say here in Euro-land.
I got that Iljo win right and Franco was fourth - ideal! 'How were you feeling in that derny, Franco?" "Let's not talk about it!"
Flying lap time - De Ketele/Schets: 10.85. Risi/Marvuli - EXACT same time. Aeschbach/De Fauw - 10.51, one hundredth away from his own track record.
Madison-time, we've hardly started when De Ketele and De Fauw come-down at the exact same spot as Hester last night.
De Ketele bounces-up but De Fauw is slow to rise and immediately, the race is neutralised. Re-start - the pace is fast but processional, a nervous bunch; anyone coming off line, even a little, gets a bawling.
With just under 10 minutes to go, Bruno shows why he's the finest six-day rider alive. He attacks, opening a huge gap, Franco spells-him, Bruno goes back-in and the lap is taken - impressive. Keisse/Villa win, to no one's surprise.
Trivia for the day: whilst Franco uses pukka Assos chamois cream - the Swiss clothing company is one of his sponsors - many of the others, including Bruno, Slippens and Stam use a Vaseline-like substance which is used to lubricate cow's udders when a milking-machine is used. Strange, but true - it's actually a bit thin for the job, that's why six-day riders saddles are always slippery.
Two races to go, the "super-sprint" and the derny final - so that's just one race for us. All the big teams go out early and the minnows fight it out.
Marc and Gerd get second, the Kiwi is a different
rider from Thursday night. The dernys are roaring in my ear as I lug
the kit over the bridge.
The announcer draws-out the winner's name as the gun fires; "'El-ee-o-ki-sah!"
Now there's a surprise! Just two days to go.
Day 5- Monday 12th February, 2007
I've arrived; Matt Gilmore said "hello" to me today - wow!
It's the Chocolate Jacques team presentation during the six tonight and Matt is here as part of that gig. "Rambo" is here too - Niko Eeckhout, last June in Antwerp at the Belgian elite champs he was in the break with Boonen; the Tomeke fans had their man as a cert to win.
We weren't quite so sure and so it proved, as Eekhout left Boonen lengths back to take the red, black and yellow jersey. He does look like he's OD-ed on the sun lamp since then though.
There's a large contingent of British riders here
for the junior 3 day, their Federation Pinarellos are every bit as
nice as anything the pros are riding.
Let's hope they keep them in one piece. Lloyd and Skubala from GB
just won the junior madsion and take the overall lead after day two
- can't be bad.
Peter Schep and Andreas Beikirch are out, sick
but Marc Hester is back.
We'll be lucky if there's 20% of the seats filled tonight; sponsors
don't like empty seats.
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| The sponsors Lotto are doing what they can to make the event interesting |
Franco just got me an interview with Bruno, his English is very good and his answers were considered and full - an easy guy to talk to.
Despite the fact that the Chocolade Jacques team presentation was on tonight and they had a "stars from the past" spot with Roger Rosiers (1971 Paris-Roubaix winner), Frans Verbeeck (twice a Het Volk winner), and a very trim Francesco Moser, they aren't getting the paying public through the door. Our boy Marc just won the devil - more flowers for the cabin.
Flying lap's now - Franco is quick, but De Fauw is quicker. Marc says that the one lapper hurts the most out of the whole programme. Last race of the night - 50 minute chase, going into it we have Risi/Marvulli and Keisse/Villa on the zero lap but the Swiss lead on points.
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| Alex Aeschbach, one of the fastest 6 Day riders, for sure |
Marc has just gone on the attack with Marco Villa, big changes from that first chase five days ago. De Fauw is struggling tonight, Aeschbach has to do a lot of work to keep them in the race.
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| Marco Villa's strength shows more, the longer the event goes on. |
The race has gone flat again but at least the music is good as we get Bob Sinclar and "Love generation." Eventually Slippens and Stam win the chase and it's time to pack-up.
I hate to be a whinge, but it wasn't a great night
of racing. Franco said that every minute had seemed like five - I
know what he means. Later, back at the main cabin; "Marc, I know
it's trivial, but what do you do with those little feeding bottles
we hand you-up, after you've had your drink?"
Marc; "I launch 'em over the fence!" That would explain
why I can't find them.
One night to go, pay day tomorrow and everyone is happy - so please can we get a decent race on Tueday night?
Day 6- Tuesday 13th February, 2007
It must be the end of term; "Mr. Happy", stoney-faced derny pilot and former king of the big motor drivers, Bruno Walrave was actually laughing at breakfast - hey! It's pay day today too - always good for morale.
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| Slippens warms up before an event |
On the last day you try and get as much kit down to the van as possible so you save time when it comes to 01.00 am.
It's 15.50 just now and Marc and Franco have just finished massage.
Topic for discussion was rap-music, Franco and Marc are big fans; for a traditionalist like Kris it must be hard work. Food-time, steak and chips, can't complain.
The dining hall is quite tranquil, despite the presence of Slippens and Stam - they weren't quiet at 01.30 this morning when they were having their post-race meal.
Maybe the unlimited free beer had a hand in it? Talking of beer, one of the old Belgian soigneurs got drunk the other night and fell his full kength in the cabin onto the concrete floor. He lay there, sprawled, groaning but with one arm still raised - clutching his beer, not a drop of the precious liquid was spilled.
Not only is Bruno a world-class cake-eater he's not averse to a few frites, it was just a few though.
It's 20.10 and the first race of the night - 60
lap points - is up and running; Risi/Marvulli take the win to go four
points clear on the classement overall.
Hester's contract has been chopped in half - he was neutralised after
his crash but was spotted with a bird at 03.30, he's building-himself
a bad rep.
Three lap tt, derny, devil and Keisse/Marvulli have stretched their
points lead. Stam is sick tonight, he looks a bit wobbly on his feet.
Our Kiwi has flown; his coach appeared and hauled him out of the race. Bad move in my opinion, there was talk about a New Zealand team in three sixes next year - I don't see that going anywhere now: Sercu misses nothing and forgets nothing.
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| Bruno winds it up for Franco to do his flying lap |
To emphasise the big gap between the top two and the rest: by the gun, third-placed Aeschbach/Defauw are six laps back.
The music is awesome tonight, 70's disco at it's best, there's even some Northern Soul in there - Millie Jackson. That, and the big crowd make for the best atmosphere of the week. Into the last 50 laps, the sprints start at 40 out, Keisse takes it - it's the last one he takes.
Bruno wins the next four straight, there are maybe quicker guys down the home straight - but not after six days!
For me, the best moment of the race was with three laps to go - every one was wasted, including Franco, his handsome features grey, Keisse was torturing himself, most of the rest were just counting the seconds...
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| Bruno truly is a "Madison King" |
Bruno?
Eyes sharp, totally in control, no sign of stress, awaiting the sling to put him in for the final sprint, there was no doubt about who was going to win that sprint and take the 2007 Hasselt six-day.
Sometimes the sixes annoy and disappoint, but moments like that stay in the mind and you can't help but feel privileged to have seen a real star at his very best - Bruno Risi, King of the Sixes. Time to go home, do you think the result will be in the Daily Record tomorrow?
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| Franco enjoys that end-of-term feeling |
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Email: editor@veloresults.co.uk