Rotterdam Six-Day set for exciting final fight – Watch Live Here!

Tuesday 7 January 2014 | Racing and live link starts 18:45 – 23:00 CET | Day 6

Biographies riders: http://www.sixdayracing.com/cyclists/Cyclists-Rotterdam-2014/ (click on photo’s).
Our edited highlights will be posted tomorrow with full round up and results.

 

 

Kenny De Ketele and Jasper De Buyst will begin the final day of the Rotterdam Six-Day as overall leaders. After five days, the two Belgians hold a one-lap lead three rival teams – all set to take a bonus lap and create a four-way fight.

“Our one-lap advantage doesn’t really count because all our rivals will take one as well tomorrow,” said De Buyst. “It will come down to a points’ battle. Or one couple needs to be so strong that they can take another lap. I think Niki Terpstra and Iljo Keisse are our biggest opponents, but we will also have to watch the others.”

Terpstra and Keisse count 295 points and sit in second behind the Belgians at 308 points. Danes Michael Mørkøv and Alex Rasmussen hold third place with 292 and Jens Mouris and Wim Stroetinga fourth with 185. Once a pair reaches a 100 multiple, it takes a bonus lap. The standings should guarantee a thrilling final on Tuesday night.

Best position
Terpstra and Keisse proved how strong they are in the second Madison. They took control by taking an early lap. They were able to wait after that and just countered every attack by their rivals. Eventually, the chase ended in a sprint that Mørkøv narrowly won over Terpstra.

“It was a really tough race but I’m glad we could finish it off with a strong sprint,” said Rasmussen. “This was the penultimate day so everyone tried to get in the best position possible. That’s why this win was so important.”

Belkin Boys
Theo Bos and Graeme Brown scored their first victory of the week in the opening Madison. The team Belkin riders worked hard to form the lead group and Brown won the four-way sprint. Given they lost seven laps on day one, their win failed to change the top end of the standings.

Sprint Masters
Jeffrey Hoogland enjoyed the day and the Sprint Masters title battle. With a second place in the sprint final and a victory in the handicap sprint, the Dutchman increased his overall lead. Teun Mulder finished second and third, and saw the difference grow to three points. Hoogland appears likely to win the overall tomorrow in Rotterdam.
Elite | General classification after day 5:

 

Sprint Masters | General classification after day 5:


Excitement rises in Ahoy Rotterdam – Day 4 Video & Results

Kenny De Ketele and Jasper De Buyst reclaimed the lead from Niki Terpstra and Iljo Keisse during day four of the Rotterdam Six-Day. However, two couples joined the overall fight: Jens Mouris and Wim Stroetinga, winners of the big chase, and Michael Mørkøv and Alex Rasmussen.

“It’s going to be a real fight now,” said De Ketele.

“It’s hard to control with four teams,” added team-mate De Buyst. “And the other three duos are very strong as well.”

Only points
The second Madison began as a battle between De Ketele/De Buyst and Terpstra/Keisse. However, gruelling attacks helped duos Mouris/Stroetinga and Danes Mørkøv/Rasmussen move ahead. Thanks to the lap they each gained, four couples sit on the lead lap with only points separating them.

De Ketele and De Buyst count the most at 250. Terpstra and Keisse with 243 and Mørkøv and Rasmussen with 222 stand close by. Mouris and Stroetinga count only 156 but seem to be improving.

Small chase
An exciting Madison kicked off Sunday. The lead couples kept cool and left the lower-ranked teams battle. After a fierce fight that included Kreder cousins, Vivien Brisse and Marc Hester took the win.

Sprint Masters
Jeffrey Hoogland was lucky on Sunday. Fellow overall leader Teun Mulder participated in the tandem sprint demonstration and beat Hoogland in the sprint final. However, he clearly ran out of power in the handicap sprint. He finished fourth and last.

Hoogland placed second behind Bart Hommes and reclaimed the lead. Only, one point separates the two.
Elite | General classification after day 4:

 

Sprint Masters | General classification after day 4:

 

Biographies riders: http://www.sixdayracing.com/cyclists/Cyclists-Rotterdam-2014/ (click on photo’s).

 

You can watch live each day here on Cycling Shorts, action starts tonight at 19:00 until 23:00 CET or watch our edited highlights of each night posted daily with full round up and results.

 

Rotterdam 6-Day – Terpstra and Keisse hit back hard – Day 3

Niki Terpstra and Iljo Keisse recaptured the Rotterdam Six-Day lead during the third night. The Dutch-Belgian duo lost their first spot to Kenny De Ketele and Jasper De Buyst on day two but rebounded during Saturday’s final Madison.

The defending champions sat one lap down going into final 250-lap Madison but managed to turn the tables. They won thanks to a one-lap advantage but also cracked the 200-point barrier to earn a bonus lap and to take the overall lead. They’re now one lap ahead and have more points, 204, than their closest rival De Ketele and De Buyst, 197, and Stroetinga and Mouris, 111.

Enough power
“With 250 laps it was a tough race,” said Keisse. “De Ketele and De Buyst wanted to level us and tried to take a lap in the final but fortunately we had enough power to keep up with them. In the end we kept our lead on them intact and also took an additional lap on the rest of the field.”

Easy
The leading couples took it easy during the first Madison of the night. Barry Markus and Leif Lampater won the chase. The Dutch-German duo collected enough points along the way to stay ahead of the other four couples who also took a lap.

Sprint Masters
Jeffrey Hoogland no longer sits alone on the Sprint Masters leader board. The swift Dutchman won the sprint final, but was caught by surprise in the handicap sprint. Teun Mulder attacked early and bagged the win, while Hoogland only finished third. Both men count 12 points. Mickaël Bourgain and Bart Hommes sit far behind, both with 18 points.
Elite | General classification after day 3:

 

Sprint Masters | General classification after day 3:

 

 

Biographies riders: http://www.sixdayracing.com/cyclists/Cyclists-Rotterdam-2014/ (click on photo’s).

 

You can watch live each day at: http://www.sixdayracing.com/tv  from around 7pm (CET) or watch our edited highlights of each night here on Cycling Shorts daily.

 

 

Belgians take reigns in Rotterdam Six-Day

Belgians Kenny De Ketele and Jasper Buyst took the lead from Niki Terpstra and Iljo Keisse in the Rotterdam Six-Day. Despite their rivals’ doublette, they advanced with the 200-lap Madison win in the second night of racing at the Ahoy Arena.

“We took an early lap which gave us the advantage”, said De Ketele. “We were in control for a long time but the double lap by Terpstra and Keisse put us under pressure. Fortunately, we were able to straighten things up with a late attack.”

Four couples
Four couples compete for the overall victory after two days. Terpstra and Keisse count 143 points, Mørkøv and Rasmussen 112 and Mouris and Stroetinga 68. However, they all sit one lap behind De Ketele and De Buyst, who have 151.

Bad change
De Ketele and De Buyst missed an opportunity to take the lead earlier in the night due to a bad hand sling in the super sprint. Their rivals eliminated them halfway in the race. Terpstra and Keisse were already out of the event at that time.

Sprint Masters
Jeffrey Hoogland heads into the weekend as the leader in the Sprint Masters. The Dutchman retained his top spot thanks to a second place in the sprint final. Frenchman Mickaël Bourgain claimed the win. Teun Mulder is Hoogland’s biggest challenger. Hoogland, who won the keirin bronze medal at the Olympics, sits only one point down. Bart Hommes occupies the third place with a two-point gap.

Elite | General classification after day 2:

Sprint Masters | General classification after day 2:

 

Biographies riders: http://www.sixdayracing.com/cyclists/Cyclists-Rotterdam-2014/ (click on photo’s).

 

You can watch live each day at: http://www.sixdayracing.com/tv  from around 7pm (CET) or watch our edited highlights of each night here on Cycling Shorts daily.

 

 

Champions – Terpstra & Keisse Start Strongly In Rotterdam 6-Day

With 26 world-ranked Six-Day riders forming 13 teams, we will be bringing you a spectacular cycling event from Rotterdam.

Rotterdam Six-Day line-up:

1. Terpstra Niki NED / Keisse Iljo BEL
2. Mouris Jens NED / Stroetinga Wim NED
3. Havik Yoeri NED / Stöpler Nick NED
4. Hester Marc DEN / Brisse Vivien FRA
5. Marvulli Franco SUI / Marguet Tristan SUI
6. De Ketele Kenny BEL / De Buyst Jasper BEL
7. Markus Barry NED / Lampater Leif GER
8. Mørkøv Michael DEN / Rasmussen Michael DEN
9. Bartko Robert GER / Kalz Marcel GER
10. Bos Theo NED / Brown Graeme AUS
11. East Guy USA / Holloway Daniel USA
12. Kreder Michel NED / Kreder Wesley NED
13. Boskamp Melvin NED / Asselman Jesper NED
14. Zwet van der Arno NED / Hoffmann Nolan RSA
15. Caspers Didier NED / Zijl van Melvin NED

Niki Terpstra and Iljo Keisse started strongly in the 32nd Six Days of Rotterdam. Last year’s winners ended the first day in the Ahoy Arena in the same spot where they finished one year ago. Michael Mørkøv and Alex Rasmussen, winners of the final Madison, sit second at nine points down, 81 to 72.

Couples Kenny De Ketele and Jasper Buyst (57 points) and Jens Mouris and Wim Stroetinga (24) are the only others on the same lap as the leaders.

One step ahead
Terpsta and Keisse proved yet again that they are a force to be reckoned with this week by riding two strong Madisons. During the second, the Omega Pharma-Quick-Step riders were constantly one step ahead of the competition but were left with only a fourth place – one lap down. Thanks to a second place in the first Madison, behind Franco Marvulli and Tristan Marguet, but with a lap advantage over the rest of the field and victories in the derny race and the super elimination race they seized the overall lead.

“The first big Madison of a Six-Day is always important,” said Keisse. “We might have lost a lap but we laid our cards on the table. I think it was a good day.” Terpstra agreed with his Belgian partner. “The first place is the best place to be in. Now we have to defend that position.”

Sprint Masters
Jeffrey Hoogland led the sprint field. During the first evening, the swift Dutchman bagged only three penalty points. Teun Mulder and Bart Hommes received one and two more respectively. French Mickaël Bourgain collected eight points.

 

Biographies riders: http://www.sixdayracing.com/cyclists/Cyclists-Rotterdam-2014/ (click on photo’s).

 

You can watch live each day at: http://www.sixdayracing.com/tv  or watch our edited highlights of each night here on Cycling Shorts daily.

Book Review: Stephen Roche “Born to Ride”

Have you ever dreamt about sitting down with a relaxing glass of wine and spending an evening just chatting cycling with a former World Champion?  What if you could spend time with a Triple Crown winner?  Well, that’s how reading the new book by Stephen Roche ‘Born to Ride’ felt to me.  It gave me the distinct impression that I was having an intimate conversation with one of the all-time greats in the world of cycling.

 

The stories and the thoughts behind the action in the book are fascinating.  Stephen’s personal views of the nature and culture of cycling in the 1980s–the teams, the Directors Sportif, the teammates and the rivals are the needed details.  They fill in gaps in the urban legends and the well-documented stories that have become the lore of cycling.  To be allowed into the depths of that world, just a bit, is a compelling read and well worth the price of admission.

 

Setting the stage with the details and drama of the World Championships of 1987, Stephen Roche narrates the tale of that fateful day, bone-numbingly wet, riding the circuit course at Villach, Austria.  “During these early laps I am just staying in the wheels, sheltering from the wind behind other riders, freewheeling almost.  That’s obviously an exaggeration, but that’s how easy I want it to feel, so that I can save everything I can for the end.”  The winning strategy, the gear choices, the details of the day are the simple things, like putting on three rain jackets layered upon each other, that make for a build up that seems so very personal and intriguing. It also makes a fascinating read for fans of cycling and of sports psychology.

 

Mixed in with the racing are touching details of Stephen’s early days trying to gather up money to make the trip over to race in France as an amateur, as well as, engaging stories of the many people who helped make it possible. Stephen openly lets us in to his personal life in a genuine and straight forward manner.  It is this glimpse into the triumphs and failures of the man that make you feel closer, that make you want to read more.  It also makes you realize that a Triple Crown in cycling doesn’t insulate you from being human, from being a parent, or the devastation of having a child who develops leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.  Within these pages are the joys of winning and the sorrows of life.

 

One of the most intriguing takes I have from the book ‘Born to Ride’ is the strong undercurrent of confidence that comes through when Stephen Roche talks about being on the bike.  He didn’t just think he could win, he knew the race was his to win, and he belonged on the top step of the podium.  Interestingly, he is quite honest about the price he paid for it, within his own team and with others, cyclists and fans, who thought his tactics were not “pure” team spirit.

 

For me, these insights into the mindset of a champion come through between lines, chocked full of the images of iconic cyclists who are brought to life through Stephen’s reminiscences.  The legends of cycling from Miguel Indurain, Laurent Fignon, Roberto Visentini, Sean Kelly to Robert Millar play prominently throughout Stephen’s career.  The book runs the gamut from glimpses of the boy, who collected clippings of Sean Kelly and was told at school he “wasn’t likely to get anywhere”, to the triumphant 1987 World Champion and winner of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.

 

Like most conversations, which zig and zag and take you to unexpected, but not unwelcome places, Stephen also addresses the climate of doping in cycling that existed at the time, his opinions of the present-day UCI and its concerns about “cheating” and improving the image of the sport, and his role in each.  It left me ever more hopeful for the future of cycling, that there is still a sense of direction for the sport which comes from people like Stephen Roche who have been there and lived it.

 

As I came to the end, finally putting the book down, there was a sense of joy and a sense of loss.  The interlude with the past, like a fine wine or a lovely evening, was over all too soon, but I was left with a profound sense of place and a newfound appreciation for the real challenges and sacrifices it takes to be a cyclist.  Overall, ‘Born to Ride’ is an absorbing and interesting new book, Stephen Roche’s first full autobiography, and I highly recommend spending a few enjoyable evenings savoring the conversation.

 

 
 

Title:  Born To Ride  

Author: Stephen Roche    

Published by Yellow Jersey Press, The Random House Group

Available from 7th June 2012 in Hardback & eBook

Price: £12.99
 
 

 

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