VeloVeritas

Copenhagen Six Day 2010 – Day Six (0)

Wednesday morning in the camper van, long straights of grey motorway tarmac through a flat, snow blanketed landscape, minus three, no sunshine, just more grey above us; in all the times I’ve worked at this six, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the sun.

The boys did it, I didn’t think they would, but they did – it was wonderful to be a part of it…

Copenhagen Six Day 2010 – Day Five (0)

There I was, sitting track side getting my Pez copy up to date and the BlackBerry rings – Viktor.

“I’ve just seen the stage from Qatar; Boasson Hagen punctured and the rest of them are nowhere to be seen!”

Eight kilometre TTT’s don’t cut much ice with Vik – best not tell him about that nice SKY notebook Gregor brought me back from the team launch.

Monday means two things at Copenhagen – the last washing of the race; and the handicap madison…

Copenhagen Six Day 2010 – Day Four (0)

I decided not to mention the demise of Franco Ballerini in my Pez reports; a six is a joyous thing and it’s hard to write about a tragic death and be upbeat.

All I would say is that he was a man; any Italian who can come to the North and win the biggest races, has my respect. His work as Italian boss was excellent; probably the best drilled national team in the World.

Vai con Dio, Franco.

Copenhagen Six Day 2010 – Day Three (0)

Maybe it was all those minds thinking; ‘I hate split sessions’ that made the access panel in the track jam?

In fact, it was an electrical fault, caused by someone who didn’t understand the procedure for shutting the big sliding panel in the track’s back straight that meant the Saturday afternoon session was cancelled.

The organisers made it a team by team presentation, around the slow running lane; they brought the kids’ judo demonstration forward – they even had Sebastian Donadio and Franco give the crowd a few songs (ouch!). Anything to kill time; but still the panel stayed stuck…

Copenhagen Six Day 2010 – Day Two (0)

‘For me, that was the hardest chase of the winter!’

The words of Franco Marvulli as he flopped onto the bench in his track side cabin, after he’d just won the night’s closing 60 minute madison with Bruno Risi.

The first night’s chase may have been a stilted affair; but not last night, as Martyn said with seven minutes to go; ‘it’s on a bit now!’

Copenhagen Six Day – Day One (0)

It’s 01:41 Day One and I’ve decided to rattle off a few lines before I succumb to the coma that surely awaits me.

It wasn’t vintage racing tonight; there wasn’t much of a crowd, the whole bunch looked like it was pedalling in mud and Franco said he’d never seen Bruno struggle the way he did in the first chase.

My feet hurt from all that standing and walking on concrete; and my ears are ringing, courtesy the PA… And that was all I could manage before I keeled over…

Copenhagen Six Day 2010 – Getting There (0)

Scotland was beautiful this morning, the views from the window of the British Midland jet were stunning.

The Pentlands covered in snow, the ‘terriers head’ of Fife framed by the Forth and Tay; the Isle of May seeming to hover in the air, guarding the mouth of the Forth.

It was cloudy over the North Sea, but we were cruising well above the soft white carpet; the sky the deepest of blues, the sunlight golden. It was a rude awakening as we descended through the fluffiness though…