63rd Zesdaagse Van Vlaanderen-Gent - 6D

Gent, Belgium, November 18-23, 2003

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Photos

Day 1 - November 18

Images by Luc Claessen/Cyclingnews/actiefotos.be

Scott McGrory (Aus) slings his partner Robert Sassone into action
Matt Gilmore (L) and Brad Wiggins (R) are the favourites here in Gent
The field lines up for one of the many races
Lars Teutenberg (Ger) in action
Bruno Risi (Swi) concentrates hard
Danny Stam (Ned) and his partner Rob Slippens amassed a lot of points on night 1
Iljo Keisse (Bel) leads them out
Andreas Kappes (Ger) in action
Scott McGrory (Aus) was one of the best riders on the first night
Robert Slippens (Ned) part of the Dutch duo
Steven De Neef (Bel) in action
Marco Villa (Ita) with a winner's bouquet
Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) flying around the track
Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) leads his partner Franco Marvulli
Franco Marvulli (Swi) gives it everything in the one lap time trial
Marco Villa (Ita) still quick
The immaculately coiffured Bruno Risi (Swi)
Danny Stam (Ned) puts his head down
Robert Slippens (Ned) cools off
Andreas Beikirch winds up
Kurt Betschart and Bruno Risi get ready for a flying lap
Brad Wiggins (GBr) gets thrown in by Gilmore
Robert Sassone (Fra) combined well with Scott McGrory
Gerd Dorich (Ger) focused
Danny Stam (Ned) looking ahead
Rob Hayles and Marty Nothstein swap off
Andreas Kappes and Andreas Beikirch exchange turns in the madison
Iljo Keisse (Bel) is young, but he is perfectly capable of mixing it with the big boys
Matt Gilmore looks to see where Wiggins is
Franz Stocher (Aut) from the Tartuffe team
Lars Teutenberg (Ger) wondering when this corner will end
Dmitri De Fauw (Bel) in the thick of it
Matt Gilmore (Bel) making Andreas Kappes suffer
Matt Gilmore (Bel) leads Bruno Risi
Gerd Dorich (Ger) on the front
Scott McGrory (Aus) does a turn on the front
Pretty in pink
I wear my sunglasses at night
The young riders in action during the Six Days of the Future
Michael S.Larsen (Den) during the Six Days of the Future
Michael Larsen and Michael Berling (Denmark) celebrate their victory in the first night of the Six Days of the Future

Day 3 - November 20

For a thumbnail gallery of these images click here

Images by Luc Claessen/Cyclingnews/actiefotos.be

Bruno Risi and Patrick Sercu two big names in track racing
Rob Hayles giving his best in the points race
Franz Stocher
Matt Gilmore performed very well for an enthousiastic crowd
Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) proved to be a very fast finisher
Scott McGrory (Aus) after his victory in the team elimination
Marty Nothstein (USA) checks his time after the lap TT
Gerd Dörich (Ger) ready to launch Dimitri Defauw (Bel)
Defauw finished very strongly in 8.82" and won the 1 lap TT
Brad Wiggins launching Matt Gilmore
Robert Slippens after three nights in the lead with Danny Stam (Ned)
Robert Sassone cornering
Gerd Dörich (Ger) and Robert Slippens (Ned)
Riders warm up on the track
Franco Marvulli (Swi) leading the points race
Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel) winner of the supersprint with Steven De Neef
Scott McGrory (Aus)
Bruno Risi demonstrated great shape on Thursday evening
Jimmy Madsen winner of the derny round 5
Last year's winners Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)
Rob Hayles giving gas in the derny race
Young Belgian talent Iljo Keisse (Bel) teamed up with Joop Zijlaard
Steven De Neef leading
Dimitri De Fauw has the ambition the break the track record in Ghent
Mathew Gilmore and Joop Zijlaard going for victory
Flowers and kisses for Gilmore/Zijlaard

Images by Nick Rosenthal/fatnick.com

Matt Gilmore with pacer Joop Zijlaard celebrate a win in a Derny race
Robert Sassone of France leads Scott McGrory into a flying 500m time trial
Local hero at Ghent: Matt Gilmore
Switzerland's double world champion (Madison and Scratch), Franco Marvulli takes time out during the Ghent Six
Danny Stam leads Rob Slippens in the flying 500m. The two Dutch stars are on flying form.
Marty Nothstein celebrates a win in one of the races with Iljo Keisse. Nothstein's partner Rob Hayles was off sick on the Thursday night, so this was a temporary pairing.
Australia's Scott McGrory grimaces as he throws Robert Sassone into the fray during the madison in Ghent.
Franco Marvulli gives a madison handsling to Alexander Aeschbach during the 2003 Ghent Six.
Master class: Kurt Betschart throws Bruno Risi into the race action. The Swiss stars lead the six-day charts.
Bradley Wiggins, reigning world pursuit champion, slings in race partner Matt Gilmore during the Ghent Six
Getting ready: Robert Sassone waits for partner Scott McGrory to throw him into the race.
Danny Stam and Rob Slippens show how to do a madison change.
German efficiency: Andreas Beikirch chucks Andreas Kappes into the race.
Marco Villa (top) gets thrown in by partner Jean-Pierre Van Zyl

Day 4 - November 21

Images by Nick Rosenthal/fatnick.com

Matt Gilmore & Bradley Wiggins wave their flowers at the crowd in Ghent.
Matt Gilmore looks thoughtful
Robert Sassone leads partner Scott McGrory into a flying lap time trial in the Ghent Six.
Rob Slippens & Danny Stam at the top of the Ghent banking
World points race champion Franz Stocher of Austria throws partner Iljo Keisse of Belgium into the race.
Gerratit! A madison change in the middle of the bunch. This is the Danish pairing of Jimmi Madsen & Michael Sandstod.
Shall we dance? Matt Gilmore delicately holds hands with Bradley Wiggins during a Madison change.
Bradley Wiggins in full flight. The young British world pursuit champion is hungry for his first six-day win.
Brad Wiggins hurls Matt Gilmore into the race.
Big Franco Marvulli lays down the power
Andreas Beikirch goes for it.
Alexander Aeschbach at speed.
Belgium's Iljo Keisse during the 2003 Gentse Zesdaagse.
Rob Hayles chucks America's Marty Nothstein into the race. The Cofidis pro has been struggling this week with a bug.
Matt Gilmore in full flight.
Slippens & Stam change on the Ghent banking.
Jean-Pierre van Zyl chucks Italy's Marco Villa into the race.
Franco Marvulli slings partner Alex Aeschbach into the race.
Steven Deneef & Wouter van Mechelen show how to do a madison change.
Andreas Beikirch in full flight.
Marco Villa throws J-P van Zyl into the race.
Top dogs: Switzerland's Kurt Betschart gives a handsling to partner Bruno Risi.
Full-on action: Pain shows on the face of Matt Gilmore (green jersey) & Anreas Beikirch (yellow). Behind, Kurt Betschart (bottom) & Marco Villa shelter in the wheels.
Andreas Beikirch throws Andreas Kappes into the madison at Ghent.
Robert Sassone responds to an attack, bridging the gap.
The bunch in full flight during the Ghent six-day race.
Concentration on the face of experienced German pro Gerd Dörich as he is thrown into the race.
Scott McGrory chasing down a break. In the background, partner Sassone has just thrown him in.
Alex Aeschbach hands over to Franco Marvulli in the closing stages of a madison during the 2003 Gentse Zesdaagse.
Devastating effect: Bruno Risi launches a blistering attack, whilst Andreas Kappes grits his teeth behind.
Big boys rules: Big tall Marty Nothstein throws big, tall Rob Hayles into the fray.
Scott McGrory tucks in behind Danish six-day rider to take a lap gain.
Showing the strain: Iljo Keisse slings Franz Stocher in during the final minutes of a hectic 40-minute madison,
Matt Gilmore & Bradley Wiggins celebrate a win in the Friday night Madison

Day 6 - November 23

For a thumbnail gallery of these images click here

Images by Nick Rosenthal/fatnick.com

Professionalism: Iljo Keisse takes time to sign autographs during the Gentse Zesdaagse in November 2003.
Jean-Pierre van Zyl at speed in the 2003 Ghent Six.
Austria's Franz Stocher finds a big smile for Fat Nick.
Marty Nothstein in his cabin at the 2003 Ghent Six.
Steven Deneef and Wouter van Mechelen share a cabin during the Ghent Six.
500 metre time trial - Matt Gilmore reaches back to give partner Brad Wiggins a handsling.
Time trial winners Rob Hayles (bottom) and Marty Nothstein collect their flowers. Wonder if Patrick Sercu is saying "Hey Rob, remember the time you took a tumble and landed right at my feet?"
Dance master: Gerd Dörich always seems to have time for a smile, a laugh and a "bicycle boogie"
Top Australian six-day man, Scott McGrory.
Time for some fun - Germany's Gerd Dörich goes hands-free at the top of the track.
Gerd Dörich leads the riders in a Mexican wave. No, honestly, the riders all adore taking their hands off for a full lap right at the top of the banking!
No guys, I told you - we're going to ride to every corner of the track! Gerd Dörich leads the way.
Gerd Dörich leads the enthusiastic Ghent crowd in a Mexican wave.
Franco Marvulli collects a prize for winning an event during the 2003 Ghent Six. The chap on his right doesn't seem too sure about Franco's hand on his shoulder, though!
Off to the office - Rob Slippens and Danny Stam get ready for work.
Robert Sassone (France) throws Scott McGrory (Aus) into the race.
Kurt Betschart gives Bruno Risi a good hard handsling.
Jimmi Madsen takes a handsling from Mr Teutenberg.
Hayles and Nothstein show how tall riders do a handsling.
Matt Gilmore in action
Matt Gilmore hands over to Brad Wiggins.
Robert Sassone hands over to Scott McGrory. Sassone is one of the revelations of the 2003-2004 six-day season.
Concentration on Gerd Dörich's face as Dmitri de Fauw slings him in.
Bradley Wiggins at full speed.
Rob Hayles gives Marty Nothstein a handsling during the final Madison in Ghent.
Rob Slippens and Danny Stam during the final madison
Matt Gilmore and half of the Slippens-Stam team Going head to head for points in the final madison.
But daddy - don't they ever fall off?
Back view: Franco Marvulli of Switzerland throws Alex Aeschbach into the final madison of the Ghent Six
Robert Sassone waits for partner Scott McGrory to give him a handsling.
Bradley Wiggins' spare bike acts as a frame for this Ghent Six photo.
Third place for Bruno Risi and Kurt Betschart - but they seem happy enough!
Robert Slippens and Danny Stam look shell-shocked after a frenetic final Madison saw them take second place overall in the 2003 Ghent Six.
Matt Gilmore showers the photographers in champagne
Brad Wiggins joins in!
Gilmore and Wiggins looking happy on the top step of the podium. This was Bradley Wiggins' first six-day victory.
Matt Gilmore and Brad Wiggins wave from the podium
Matt Gilmore and Brad Wiggins on the podium after their victory
Matthew Gilmore and Bradley Wiggins on their victory lap.
Matt Gilmore takes time to give press interviews after the victory ceremony.

Images by Luc Claessen/Cyclingnews/actiefotos.be

Danish duo Larsen-Berling - winners of the youth-6 days
Danish winners waving to the crowd with their flowers
Danny Stamand Robert Slippens from Holland finished in second place
Rob Hayles (GBr) watches the chrono
Beikirch and Wiggins duelling hard
Dimitri De Fauw - Ghent's new "darling"
Bruno Risi looking very intense
Mathew Gilmore at full speed, chasing the victory
Gilmore and Zijlaard in beautiful company after the derny-race win
Franco Marvulli (Swi) and Bradley Wiggings
Talented youngster Iljo Keyse - at 20 years old, he's a face to remember
Marty Northstein gives it all
CSC rider Jimmy Madsen looking sharp
Iljo Keyse takes his chance in the final race
Matthew Gilmore in pursuit
Robert Slippens and Danny Stam focussing hard
Lars Teutenberg took a fall in the last points race; no harm done though
The final sprint Gilmore wins ahead of Robert Slippens
Finally - to victory!