INTRO :: DAY 1 :: DAY 2 :: DAY 3 :: DAY 4 :: DAY 5 :: PHOTOS

November 28, 2004
Het Kuipke / Gent

Day 6

The final day of the Gent 6-day has arrived. A little over 14 hours ago, day five racing was finishing and people were going home to their beds. Now we are back at Het Kuipke its 3:30 pm and we are getting ready for the final four hours of racing. Gilmore-Bartko look in good shape 14 points ahead of their archrivals, Slippens-Stam from Holland. I had a chance to talk with one of the Derny drivers Michael Vaarten from Belgium. He stated that Gilmore is very strong and well rested. Robert Bartko has helped but he has never raced in Gent before so he is learning the Kuipke track and the Gent crowd. Vaarten mentioned that the Kuipke track is very special with its tight corners and short straight away, very different from the other European tracks of 200 m to 333 m. "There is one other track in Paris that is similar but not as rider-spectator friendly".

During the introductions of the riders the music is intensive and anticipatory. The music is turned down as the announcer introduces each team summarizing their palmares and recent performances. Slippens/Stam were introduced to warm applause. A group of Dutch spectators have the Netherlands flag with the names of Slippens and Stam written in large black letters. The first event of the afternoon is the Puntenkoers/ Points Race, 60 laps. The first twelve riders of each team are on the track. At 50 laps Slippens is the winner, 40 and 30 laps Hayles. The riders switch and their teammates are on for the last 30 laps. Kappes takes it at 20 laps, Madsen at 10 laps and Kappes comes in first at the finish. Dorich/Kappes come in first and get 15 points, Keisse/Beikirch 2^nd 9 points and Slippens/Stam 3^rd with 7 points.

The second event of the afternoon is the Ploegafvalling/Team Elimination. The winning team of this event gets 15 points, very important! As only 8 points separate Gilmore/Bartko and Slippens/Stam. The Downing brothers are the first to go. Then Madsen/Hayles, Teutenberg/Roberts, De Neef/Van Zyl. There are five team still in the running. Next to be eliminated are Liska/Zabka, Pronk/Van Mechlen and Villa/Stocher. The sellout crowd is hushed as the final three teams zip around the track. Iljo Keisse/Andreas Beikirch are out and the final two teams Slippens/Stam and Gilmore/Bartko square off. The final lap bell sounds and during the race to the finish line, Slippens wins over Bartko and they gain a five-point advantage.

The Kuipke is packed to the rafters, the spectators are singing to the oom pah pah band as Slippens/Stam take their victory lap. The air raid siren signals the next event the Baanronde/ Fastest Lap. Slippens/Stam win in a time of 8.86 seconds or 67.720 km/hr, 2^nd Pronk/Van Mechelen 66.592 km/hr, 3^rd Teutenberg/Roberts 66.445 km/hr. With the victory Slippens/Stam have a 10-point lead over Gilmore/Bartko in the overall standings.

The twice World Road Race Champion Freddy Maertens shoots the starting gun for the start of the 1^st Derny Round. Jimmi Madsen (Walrave) are the winners. Andreas Beikirch wins the Afvalling/Elimination. The action is coming to a final climax as Slippens/Stam have 340 points, Gilmore/Bartko 330 points and Keisse/Beikirch 306 points. Derny Round #2 has Marco Villa (Uytfange),Iljo Keisse (Walrave), Matthew Gilmore (Zijlaard), Bruno Risi (Vaarten) and Andreas Kappes (Durst) riding. With 16 laps to go Risi and Keisse are in front. Matthew Gilmore joins the front leaders and suddenly he drops out. With five laps to go Iljo Keisse (Walrave) is driving at the front and wins over Risi (Vaarten). But the big story is where is Matthew Gilmore? Gilmore appears to be hurt as Patrick Sercu signals for the medics to go to Gilmore’s cabaña. A Belgian sports journalist states that the curtains are pulled in the cabana and Gilmore’s soignieur/mechanic said that there was a problem with a tire tube. Minutes are ticking away and still no Gilmore. Bartko had been riding around the track but now he to is not on the track. What is happening?

The Tijdrit 500m/Fastest 500m is the next event. Riders are warming-up riding by and looking down at Gilmore’s cabaña. The drama continues as Gilmore/Bartko turn is coming up. It looks like Alexander Aeschbach will ride with Bartko. Teutenberg/Roberts steal the show and the points covering the 500 m in 28.79 with a speed of 62.522 km/hr.

The Scratch event is won by the South African Jean-Pierre Van Zyl, second Robert Bartko and third Robert Slippens. Gilmore/Bartko have clawed back two points and now Slippens/Stam lead by only 8 points.

The whole Gent 6-day victory is coming down to the last event, Ploegkoers/Madison. The added drama is will Gilmore ride or not? This Madison is a little different than the other in the sense that the last 50 laps will have the bonus of additional points every ten laps. 1^st will get 10 points, 2^nd 6 points, 3^rd 4 points and 4^th 2 points. Looks like we will need a calculator to keep track of the points.

Gilmore is up and warming-up, the Kuipke fans cheer his return. Five minutes to the big showdown.

The gun starts the final event. After about sixteen minutes into the ride Gilmore has retired again. Three minutes later he is back on the track and did not lose any laps. Gilmore looks tired and hot. The zipper of his jersey is open trying to cool himself off. After one hang sling of Bartko into the fray Gilmore is riding at the balustrade huffing and puffing. Thirty minutes into the race it appears that Slippens/Stam have their chance at victory. Gilmore has dropped out again. His face was ashen as he rode by the Press Box. Now it is up to Iljo Keisse the young Belgian racer from Gent and his German partner Andreas Beikirch to try and pull out victory.

At 33 minutes Keisse attacks off the front with Kurt Betschart. At the same time Keisse/Beikirch latch on to the pack, Slippens/Stam are off on the front of the train with Villa/Stocher and Dorich/Kappes in tow. At 40 minutes Slippens/Stam are 2 laps up on Keisse/Beikirch. Iljo and Andreas are still in this Madison competition with 20 minutes to go. Slippens/Stam win the first 10 bonus points with 50 laps to go. Slippens/Stam are attacking every chance they can. It appears that Keisse and Beikirch are going to lose. Sprint #4 is won by Slippens/Stam and they get another 10 points and have two laps on Keisse/Beikirch. The Kuipke crowd appears to be accepting the result and gave a loud ovation to the Dutch duo Robert Slippens and Danny Stam as they cross the line winning the 64^th z6s-daagse Vlaanderen Gent.

Final Results z6s-daagse Vlaanderen Gent

1. Slippens/Stam 396 points
2. Keisse/Beikirch 335 points, 2 laps
3. Dorich/Kappes 240 points, 4 laps
4. Risi-Aeschbach 226 points, 4 laps
5. Villa-Stocher 143 points, 10 laps
6. Teutenberg-Roberts 241 points, 14 laps
7. Pronk- Van Mechelen 324 points, 15 laps
8. Madsen-Hayles 109 points, 30 laps
9. Liska-Zabka 110 points, 37 laps
10. Van Zyl-Deneef 216 points,46 laps
11. Downing-Downing 30 points, 73 laps