Six Days of Berlin

• Night 1 - January 6th
• Night 2 - January 7th
• Night 3 - January 8th
• Night 4 - January 9th
• Night 5 - January 10th
• Night 6 - January 11th

Preview:

By Tomas Nilsson

The new velodrome in Landsberger Allé will host its fourth Berlin six days on the relatively long 250 meter oval. It is the 89th six day race held in the German capital.

As many as 18 teams will start. A lot of attention will be paid to young Berliner Robert Bartko who has done some quite impressing six day races this season with Scott McGrory. But the pressure lies of course on the more established pairs, and here indeed it seems as all the top riders have got their most trusted partners. So look out for Italians Martinello and Villa, Swiss Risi and Betchart, Belgians de Wilde and Gilmore and Germans Kappes and Pollack, bronze medallists in the World Championships in the same arena.

The madison World Champions Llaneras and Galvez are also on the track but their performances in the six dayers has been disappointing this season, to put it mildly. The top ranked rider on the indoor track scene, Jimmi Madsen, is the only participating Dane. He has been changing partners this season, and now when his compatriots Piil, Sanstřd and Braikia are preparing for the road he is paired with pursuiter Jens Lehmann. Good in that discipline but not the most renowned indoor trackie. But who knows, the outdoor measures of the Berlin velodrome might suit him.

There will also be events for sprinters and stayers as well as 18 amateur pairs.

Starting list, Main competition:

1 Silvio Martinello (Ita)/Marco Villa (Ita)
2 Juan Llaneras (Spa)/Isaac Galvez (Spa)
3 Andreas Kappes (Ger)/Olaf Pollack (Ger)
4 Adriano Baffi (Ita)/Andrea Collinelli (Ita)
5 Bruno Risi (Swi)/Kurt Betschart (Swi)
6 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott McGrory (Aus)
7 Etienne Dewilde (Bel)/Matthew Gilmore (Bel)
8 Jimmi Madsen (Den)/Jens Lehmann (Ger)
9 Guido Fulst (Ger)/Thorsten Rund (Ger)
10 Andreas Beikirch (Ger)/Lars Teutenberg (Ger)
11 Stefan Steinweg (Ger)/Erik Weispfennig (Ger)
12 Daniel Becke (Ger)/Frank Corvers (Bel)
13 André Kalfack (Ger)/Laurenzo Lapage (Bel)
14 Gerd Dörich (Ger)/Mario Vonhof (Ger)
15 Robert Slippens (Ned)/Danny Stam (Ned)
16 Christian Weber (Swi)/Ronny Lauke (Ger)
17 Frank Kowatschitsch (Ger)/Ralf Liehner (Ger)
18 Robert Hayles (Gbr)/Bradley Wiggins (Gbr)

Sprinters:

Jens Fiedler (Ger)
Eyk Pokorny (Ger)
Jan van Eijden (Ger)
Anthony Peden (Nzl)
Ainars Kiksis (Lat)
Barry Forde (Bar)

Stayers:

Carsten Podlesch (Ger)
Hanskurt Brand (Swi)
Ronald Rol (Ned)
Sabino Cannone (Ita)
Lobomir Mazel (Cze)
Ralf Keller (Ger)
Stefan Klare (Ger)

Amateurs:

Of the amateurs the Belgian winners in Zürich, Luc de Duytsche and Nicky Vermeersch will be the favourites again. Most of the opposition will probably come from Slovakians Liska and Zabka, with Palicki and Riesenbeck as dark horses.

Starting list courtesy of Union International des Vélodromes