65th Zesdaagse Van Vlaanderen-Gent - 6D

Belgium, November 22-27, 2005

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Day 4 - November 25

Thrills aplenty for sell-out crowd

By Nick Rosenthal

Friday saw a thrilling evening's racing in Gent, with all tickets for the evening sold out. Local heros Matt Gilmore and Iljo Keisse regained the lead from Robert Bartko and Scott McGrory, but Bruno Risi and Kurt Betschart are looking strong, and Robert Slippens and Danny Stam pulled back one lap of their two-lap deficit, looking very fast as they did so.

Two riders were out of action during the evening: Rob Hayles was suffering with sickness and Marco Villa was feeling the after-effects of a crash on the Thursday evening. So 18 year old world madison champion Mark Cavendish teamed up with former world madison champion Franco Marvulli for the evening, giving Marvulli an opportunity to pass on some useful tips to Cavendish, who his riding his first six-day season.

The evening came to an early end when the stadium's lighting started acting up shortly after midnight. Race director Patrick Sercu took the sensible decision to cancel the final madison of the evening in the interests of rider safety. Emerging from the Kuipke, we saw a foot of snow that had fallen during the evening; it seemed the snow had affected the power supply right across Gent.

So we head into Saturday with Gilmore-Keisse leading on 246 points and also a lap up on the rest of the field. Three teams are still in the running, one lap down: Bartko-McGrory on 244 points, Slippens-Stam on 220 and Risi-Betschart on 144. With four teams so close, and with the Gent track only 170 meters, we are in for an exciting final two days of racing!

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Nick Rosenthal/www.fatnick.com

World Madison champions Mark Cavendish (top) and Rob Hayles are introduced to the crowd
Flying Dutchman Rob Slippens at speed
Matt Gilmore and Iljo Keisse celebrate a win in one of the races that make up the Gent Six
Franco and Marco: Franco Marvulli and Marco Villa are a new pairing on the six-day circuit this year
Big Marty Nothstein at speed
Kurt Bestschart gives Bruno Risi a Madison sling
Iljo Keisse shows how to ride a bike fast
Mark Cavendish shows commitment
Rob Hayles throws in Mark Cavendish at the start of the 1-lap time trial in Gent
Scott McGrory gives it some
Bikes at rest while the riders on the track work in the background
Marty Nothstein throws partner Joan Llaneras into the race
A derny driver fuels up
Andreas Beikirch throws partner Dimitri De Fauw into the madison
Christian Grasmann of Germany slings in Danish partner Marc Hester
Rob Hayles chucks his young partner Mark Cavendish into the race
Matt Gilmore and Iljo Keisse do the Madison change thing
Dernies wait patiently for their race
Robert Bartko throws Scott McGrory into the Madison
Belgium’s Kenny de Ketele gives it his all
Wouter van Mechelen gives a handsling to Matthe Pronk, with the strain visible on their faces
More frites for the derny driver’s meeting
Steve Schets gives a big hard handsling to partner Steven Deneef
Rob Slippens and Danny Stam celebrate a win during one of the races in Gent. They won the Gent Six in 2004
Derny action: Kenny de Ketele comes over the top of Peter Schepp during the derny race
And another one! De Ketele cruises past De Fauw on the way to winning a derny race
Three abreast derny racing. The derny drivers are highly skilled and very experienced
Derny driver Michel Vaarten listens closely to what organiser Patrick Sercu says
Big Franco Marvulli chills out in his cabin between races
Robert Bartko of Germany in a derny race

Results

Points race
 
1 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)                    11 pts
2 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)        10
3 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel)                    8
4 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)         7
5 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)                      7
6 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)                     5
7 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus)              4
8 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)           4
9 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)      4
10 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)           2
11 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita)             2
12 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)                  1
13 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)                 1
 
Team elimination
 
1 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel)                   15 pts
2 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)                    10
3 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus)              8
4 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)                      6
5 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)            4
6 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)         2
7 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)
8 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
9 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)
10 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)
11 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)
12 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)
13 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita)
 
1 lap time trial
 
1 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)                    15 pts
2 BartkoMcGrory                                       10
3 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel)                    8
4 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)            6
5 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)                   4
6 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)         2
7 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)
8 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)
9 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)
10 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)
11 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)
12 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
13 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita)
 
Madison
 
1 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)                    15 pts
2 De Ketele Aeschbach                                 10
 
1 lap behind  
 
3 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)                      8 pts
4 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel)                    6
5 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus)              4
 
2 laps behind  
 
6 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)         2 pts
7 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)
8 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
 
3 laps behind  
 
9 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)
10 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)
11 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)
 
4 laps behind  
 
12 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)
13 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita)
 
'King sprint'
 
1 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)        15 pts
2 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)                     10
3 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel)                    8
4 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)                     6
5 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)                     4
6 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus)              2
7 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)
8 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)
9 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
10 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)
11 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)
12 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)
13 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita)
 
Derny 1
 
1 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)                                5 pts
2 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)                                4
3 Steve Schets (Bel)                                   3
4 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)                            2
5 Marty Nothstein (USA)                                1
6 Peter Schep (Ned)
 
Elimination
 
1 Juan Llaneras (Spa)                                 15 pts
2 Andreas Beikirch (Ger)                              10
3 Steven Deneef (Bel)                                  8
4 Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)                            6
5 Marc Hester (Den)                                    4
6 Iljo Keisse (Bel)                                    2
7 Mark Cavendish (GBr)
8 Gerd Dörich (Ger)
9 Kurt Betschart (Swi)
10 Robert Slippens (Ned)
11 Matthé Pronk (Ned)
12 Scott Mcgrory (Aus)
13 Franco Marvulli (Swi)
 
Derny 2
 
1 Matthew Gilmore (Bel)                                5 pts
2 Robert Bartko (Ger)                                  4
3 Bruno Risi (Swi)                                     3
4 Robert Slippens (Ned)                                2
5 Franco Marvulli (Swi)                                1
6 Mark Cavendish (GBr)
 
500 m time trial
 
1 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)                  15 pts
2 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus)             10
3 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)         8
4 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)           6
5 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel)                    4
6 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)            2
7 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)
8 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)
9 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
10 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)
11 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)
12 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)
13 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita)
 
Overall standings after night 4
 
1 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel)                  246 pts
 
1 lap behind  
 
2 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus)            244 pts
3 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)                   220
4 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)                    144
 
6 laps behind  
 
5 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)    109 pts
 
8 laps behind  
 
6 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita)            137 pts
 
11 laps behind  
 
7 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)           90 pts
 
12 laps behind  
 
8 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)       185 pts
 
13 laps behind  
 
9 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)                   111 pts
 
14 laps behind  
 
10 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)                44 pts
 
16 laps behind  
 
11 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)       93 pts
 
17 laps behind  
 
12 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)         90 pts
 
20 laps behind  
 
13 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)                 96 pts
Espoirs
1 Nicky Cocquyt/Davy Tuytens (Bel)                   82 pts

At 1 lap

2 Michael Arends/Erik Mohs (Ger)                     75
3 Gert-Jan Jonkman/Kevin Sluimer (Ned)               55

At 2 laps

4 Andy Tennant/Ian Stannard (GBr)                    27

At 3 laps

5 Jiri Hochmann/Vojtech Haceky (Cze)                 13

At 6 laps

6 Niels Pieters (Ned)/Tom Smith (GBr)                26

At 7 laps

7 Triatan Marquet (Swi)/Tim Mertens (Bel)            71
8 Thomas Murray/Peter Williams (GBr)                 15

At 16 laps

9 Mads Rydicher/Philip Nielsen (Den)                 10

At 18 laps

10 Michael Kocner/Georg Tazreiter (Aut)               8