Ghent 6 - 2010

Five days before the start, Patrick Sercu announced the teams for the 70^th Ghent Six.

The teams to beat will be the Danish titleholders Rasmussen – Morkov and the Germans

Bartko – Hondo. It will not be easy for Iljo Keisse, the local man, riding with the Dutchie Schep, to get on the top of the podium.

The Worldchampions and winners from last year Rasmussen and Morkov are the candidates for the final win of the “Lotto Z6sdaagse Vlaanderen Gent”. That is the official name of oldest six day race in Europe.

Hondo and Bartko, a combination of a lot of experience and power. Danilo just won the 6 of Amsterdam, with Kluge. Robert we know a lot more from roadracing.

For Iljo Keisse it will be a home race he will never forget. The Ghent crowd loves him that much that they can scream him to a great performence. After the troubles he had, to make an end to his two year ban, he only found out last week that the Brussels court agreed with a temporary stop of the ban.

Looking for the teams for a “top 5” spot i reckon we have to follow De Ketele – Lampater and

Roberts – Kneisky.

Everybody expect a lot from the young Frenchman Kneisky. It is his first six with the “big boys”. And lucky for him his has the experienced Australian Luke Roberts to look after him.

Luke has always been one of my favorite trackriders, and i am glad to see him back in “het Kuipke” after a year absence.

Of course we can’t forget Marvulli and Aeschbach, the Swiss team that won the Grenoble six lately.

The complete field:

Alex Rasmussen – Michael Morkov (DEN)

Iljo Keisse – Peter Schep (BEL-HOL)

Danny Stam – Leon Van Bon (HOL)

Robert Bartko – Danilo Hondo (GER)

Kenny De Ketele – Leif Lampater (BEL-GER)

Tim Mertens – Pim Ligthart (BEL-HOL)

Tosh Van De Sande – Andreas Muller (BEL-GER)

Luke Roberts – Morgan Kneisky (AUS-FRA)

Franco Marvulli – Alexander Aeschbach (SWI)

Steven Deneef – Steve Schets (BEL)

Sebastian Donadio – Jeff Vermeulen (ARG-BEL)

Jens Mouris – Wim Stroetinga (NED)

Jens Erik Madsen – Marc Hester (DEN)

Each night before the start of the “big 6” there is the “Future 6”. This race is called the “Memorial Noel Foré”. These men only race a madison every night.

This year is a enormous international field at the start. You can say, o great, to see the best of the worlds future madison riders or you can think, like me: do we have only five Belgian riders interested in the track?

Anyway, the favourites are: Alex Carver and Jackson Law! Alex won the race last year with Jackson’s brother Scott.

They have to compete against team from England, Denmark, Italy, USA, etc...

The Ghent 6 is surtenly not dead, if you still need to buy your tickets, i can only say: Hurry!