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96th Edition of the Berliner Sechstagerennen

by Steve Penny
British 6-Day Correspondent for TBCC's 6-Day Site
Berlin

Family Tag in Landsberger Allee

Sunday at German Six Day races is traditionally the Family Tag (day) when the Mums, Dads and children attend together thus, hopefully, bringing in fans for future generations. For the racers Sundays are probably the hardest as they will have been up until 3 or 4am following the Saturday night programme and then start at 11am.

The Sechstage Rennen in Berlin, as expected, has been a close fought battle between Bartko / Beikirch, Fulst / Lampater and Risi / Marvulli but not to be counted out are Stam / Schep and Keisse / Pollack who are hanging onto there coat tails. Family Tag saw the battle continue with the leading places changing hands between the crucial Madison chases. The Madison's are of course normally where Six Day races are won and lost but in Berlin with a relatively small racing programme, and therefore less points from other events available, they are even more important. Your correspondent arrived in the Landsberger Allee Velodrome just in time to see the big 45 minute chase of the day.

With the aforementioned tiredness in evidence the chase didn't really come to life until the closing 10 minutes but when the major players made there move it was eye balls out until the finish. Bartko / Beikirch, Fulst / Lampater, Risi / Marvulli and Keisse / Pollack went clear and brought the crowd too its feet by gaining the lap they then all moved to the front were Leif Lampater confirmed the progress he has made this season by out sprinting Bartko, Pollack and Risi. Also showing well in the Madison were the young Danes Rasmussen / Morkov who finished 1 lap behind with the Dutch pair Stam / Schep who appeared to miss the boat, they would however bounce back later.

The shorter 30 minute chase took a different pattern with Danes Rasmussen / Morkov and Hester / Piil getting a lap ahead of the field alongside Stam / Schep. Coming into the final 3 laps it became a two way battle though as Hester / Piil couldn't keep pace leaving Peter Schep to finish off Rasmussen in a two up sprint. This crucial lap gain for the Dutchmen left them finishing the day on the same laps as the other leaders but just 3 points from a bonus lap. This Six Day race really looks like it will go to the wire.

Despite no Sunday madison success the 'new' Alpine Express of Risi / Marvulli kept their point's total ticking along with a victory in the team elimination (team devil) race. As mentioned the Danes Rasmussen / Morkov have also been going well putting in a much stronger showing than the more fancied Danish paring of Piil / Hester who are struggling at 11 laps behind the leaders. The youngsters actually broke their own track record for the 1,000 metre TT on Saturday night posting 56.183. The TTs in Berlin see each rider doing 500 metres (2 laps) each before hand slinging their partner in at the half way mark. MarcoVilla and Christian Grasmann also appear solid at +3 laps but everyone else is way back. Elsewhere a rider who we met in Gent, and a native Berliner, Andy Muller racing here with Swiss Alex Aeschbach has been ill and was out of Sunday's racing thus losing +10 laps and leaving them out of contention for a top 8 finish. Also an honourable mention for the Belgians Kenny De Ketele and Steve Schets who although 12 laps down are ahead of many of the German Six Day riders and have justified getting their first start at a 'pro' German Six.

Standings at the end of Sunday:

1. Bartko / Beikirch 183 points
2. Fulst / Lampater 183 points
3. Risi / Marvulli 178 points
4. Stam / Schep 97 points

+ 1 lap
5. Keisse / Pollack 177 points

+3 laps
6. Rasmussen / Morkov 140 points
7. Villa / Grasmann 40 points

+11 laps
8. Piil / Hester 76 points

+12 laps
9. Muller / Aeschbach 51 points
10. De Ketele / Schets 51 points

Stayers

As is the tradition we once again have the Stayers in Berlin and Sunday's programme saw a surprise win for Timo Schulz, this win however was preceded by a bit of drama and disappointment for the 10,000 + fans in the Velodrome. With 15 laps to go Swiss-Italian Guiseppe Atzeni and German Timo Scholz were well ahead of everyone but local hero Carsten Podlesch. Much to the crowds delight Podlesch made a massive charge in the last 20 laps but as he drew to within a few metres of the leading pair he lost contact with his pacer and thus lost his rhythm and all chance of the win. As he punched his handlebars in anger and frustration Atzeni and Scholz kept up a battle that Scholz took by a few metres on the line. Despite his frustration Podlesch continues to lead in the overall International Steher competition from Atzeni. This looks like another competition that will not be decided until Tuesday night's finale.

Sprinters

The field for the 'International Sprinters Cup' is not as strong on paper this year but they riders still put on a show for the largely Eastern Berlin crowd who have always followed the East German tradition for sprinting with passion. Today saw 19 year old German protege Maximilian Levy take the 250 metre TT and the 22 year old Dane Kasper Jessen taking the Keirin and a 3 up match sprint, the latter from the more experienced and better known Kilo specialist Stefan Nimke and Levy. Another German youngster, 19 year old Rene Enders took the other 3 up match sprint from the veteran Italian Roberto Chiappa and Matthias John.

29 January 2007