November 23, 2007 (Gent, Belgium) – The Toekomstzesdaagse has begun as the cycling fans start to fill the Kuipke. The first event of the evening for the UIV Talents Cup is the Flying 200m. The riders in the Toekomstzesdaagse are under 25 years old and the Union International Velodrome (UIV) sponsors the race as an opportunity to develop the six-day talent. There is quite the competition to get into this event as this is where the race organizers see your abilities and mettle. If you are a strong fast rider you may have the chance to get a “contract”. The competition tonight started out with a flying lap that was won by Mertens/De Winter from Belgium. The next event was a gruelling 200-lap Madison event with three intermediate sprints. The current race leaders Davy Tuytens/ Tosh Van Der Sande, a Belgian team are in the lead. In second place are the young riders from Great Britain Peter Kenaugh/Adam Blyth.

The Big Show
The professional six-day racers are introduced. The crowd roars for Iljo Keisse (Bel) and his partner Robert Bartko (Ger) and polite acknowledgement of the World Madison Champions Bruno Risi (Sui) and Franco Marvulli (Sui). The first race of the evening is the Points Race. Cavendish from Great Britain wins the first sprint and then the second before Robert Slippens (Ned). Luke Roberts (Aus) and Marc Hester win the final.

The number six team in the overall standings, Tim Mertens (Bel) and Andreas Muller (Ger) win the Team Elimination. The speedster Franco Marvulli besting the time of Iljo Keisse and Dimitri De Fauw again won the 166m Flying Lap. Risi Marvulli are now in first place with 170 points, Keisse/Bartko are in second 160 points and Slippens/Stam in third. The first three teams are at zero laps.

This being the “˜student’s night’ at the zesdaagse the Kuipke is filled with young people and the clapping, singing and driving beat of the music has everyone on their feet and moving. The racers seem to be infected by the energy of the crowd as the racing has been non stop. Dimitri De Fauw and Derny driver Michael Vaarten won the first Derny Heat. Mark Cavendish won an event at this six-day for the first time, the Individual Elimination. The second Derny Heat was won by Bruno Risi – Joop Zijlaard executing a well timed come-from-behind to nip Keisse – Vaarten at the finish line. Keisse/Bartko bounced back, winning the 500m Time Trial in a time of 64.470 over Risi/Marvulli in 64.355.

It’s 12:45am and the 40 minutes plus 10-lap Madison has concluded. Keisse/Bartko won in dramatic fashion. They now have gained 200 points and are awarded a lap that puts them in first place. Risi/Marvulli are at 1-lap, 197 points and Slippens/Stam at 1-lap 161 points. It was very nice to see Mark Cavendish, with Wiggins, back in the action gaining a lap on the crowd and picking up eight points by coming in third in the Madison. They jumped from 12th place in the standings to 10th place. The next event after a short intermission at 12:45am is a Supersprint, then a seven team Elimination and a final 10-lap Sprint. Not sure if they’ve have had this event before but the action and effort is good. Risi/ Marvulli, plus Keisse/Bartko and Slippens/Stam are eliminated. The best of the rest are riding tempo at 55kms/hr. Wiggins/Cavendish and Beikirch/Mohs are out. In the end De Fauw/Aeschbach win with Roberts/Hester in second and Lazar/Kankovsky in third.

At 1:15am and the Middenplein is wall to wall people. They have added two Keirin Heats, Beikirch takes the first heat and Dimitri De Fauw wins the second. Now we have two more 60-lap Derny Heats. The action begins slowly in the third Derny Heat, DeKetele/Vaarten are running well with Mohs/Huybrechts taking the lead with 18 laps left. The driving base of the sound system ignites the arena. Robert Bartko /Joop Zijlaard are neck and neck with Slippens/Walrave with four laps to go. DeKetele/Vaarten come from behind to win.

At 1:35am we have an Individual Elimination with a representative from each of the teams. Keisse is the first to go. Then De Fauw, Wiggins, Stam, Risi, Muller, Villa, Lazar. There are now five teams left and the pace is quickened. Cocquyt is eliminated and the Beikirch. The final three riders Luke Roberts, Ingmar De Poortere and Wim Stroetinga battle it out. De Poortere is out and the last laps are hammered by Roberts and Stroetinga, who wins at the line.

The fourth Derny Heat is now underway with Aeschbach/Durst paired, Cavendish/Walrave, De Neef/Vaarten, Kankovsky/Huybrechts, Hester/V. Uytfanghe and Pronk/Zijlaard. Aeschbach has been in the lead for the first 26 laps and then Pronk/Zijlaard take over. (Pronk set a world hour record being motor-paced by Zijlaard) 18 laps to go. The hum of the derny engines echo in the arena. DeNeef/Vaarten move into the lead. With 8 laps to go Cavendish tries to take the lead. At three laps Cavendish/Walrave try again. Pronk/Zijlaard come over the top of the track in the last turn and win at the line.

The final event of the evening is the Keirin Final. The riders in this race include Villa, Roberts, Beikirch, Keisse, De Fauw, and Lazar. Luke Roberts wins.

It was announced today that 2012 will be the last edition of the Zesdaagse Vlaanderen Gent at Kuipke in Citadel Park. The new arena will be Vlaams Wielercentrum Eddy Merckx in the Blaarmeersen area of Gent. It will be sad to see this arena no longer part of the six-day spectacle.

Standings after Day 3
1. Keisse Bartko, 0 laps, 206 points
2. Risi Marvulli, 1, 199
3. Stam Slippens, 1, 164
4. De Ketele Villa, 2, 120
5. Beikirch Mohs, 3, 120
6. Mertens Muller, 7, 82
7. Roberts Hester, 9, 102
8. De Fauw Aeschbach, 13, 150
9. Lazar Kankovsky, 16, 66
10. Wiggins Cavendish, 23, 76
11. Cocquyt Deneef, 24, 41
12. Stroetinga Pronk, 26, 47
13. Schets Depoortere, 49, 67