November 24, 2007 (Gent, Belgium) – After three days of rough and tough hard core racing at the Kuipke wooden saucer in Gent, hometown favourite Iljo Keisse and the Potsdam Flyer from Germany Robert Bartko have a slim 7-point lead over their rivals from Switzerland, the World Madison Champions Bruno Risi and Franco Marvulli. The new “Alpen Express” has won two key 6-day races already this season in Dortmund and Munich. Keisse/Bartko won the season opening six-day race in Amsterdam. Since then Bartko and Keisse have only ridden once together at the Munich six-day in late October where they came in fourth.

Last evening, Keisse/Bartko won their second Madison of the six-day race as well as the 500m Time Trial. At the end of the evening, the one point lead that they had after the second day is now seven points

Details of Day 4
The fourth day of a six-day race is where the riders have their racing legs and a rhythm. Every race during the evening is extremely strategic. Each team has a race plan with the hopes of maximizing the possibilities to gain points and laps with the hope of a podium placing.

The life of a bike racer during the season is very strange and does take some time to adjust to. Every night the racers finish up six hours of racing at 2:00am, usually get a massage and shower at Kuipke and then back to the hotel where they try and get some sleep by 3am. It is difficult for most of the riders to wind down after an intensive night of extreme racing. Most of the riders will sleep through the morning and then get out of bed around noon. Breakfast or lunch, as it is, will be pasta, coffee and other high energy slow burning foodstuffs. The riders will have a low key afternoon and usually three hours before the race they will have another meal of white meat of some sort and of course, pasta. Getting the body and mind to adjust to the life style of a six-day racer is no easy task. If the riders do not make the adjustment, they will be confronted with extreme tiredness and not have a good form.

The night of racing began with the Points Race that was won by Kenny De Ketele (Bel) and the veteran Marco Villa (Ita), who has started over 141 six-day races. Bartko who was matched with Risi won the Team Elimination. Bartko took of on the second corner plunging down the track in an all out sprint. Risi tried to catch him by coming over the top on the red line but Bartko won at the line by a wheel.

The third race of the evening was another showdown of the top two teams. Lazar/Kankovsky set the early lead with a time of 8.93 seconds or 67.189 kph. Keisse/Bartko are the second to last team to go and the crowd was whipped into frenzy as the riders circled the track. Then Bartko launched Keisse who flew around the track. All eyes are on the time clock that shows the fastest time and the race that is in progress. Keisse flies to a new best time in 8.90 or 67.415 kph. Now Risi/Marvulli take to the track and warm-up. Risi slings Marvulli down the track and again with all eyes on the track the crowd awes as Marvulli sets a new best time in 8.88 second for the 166m track or 67.567 kph. The last race before the first intermission is the 40-minute 10-lap Madison Race or the “chase”. Slippens/Stam were the winners after they had picked up a lap on Risi/Marvulli who came in second and Keisse/Bartko third. Now the top three teams are Keisse Bartko 0 laps, 239 points, Risi/Marvulli 0 laps, 234 points and Slippens/Stam 0 laps, 193 points.

During the intermission the legendary Eddy Merckx is in the crowd on the Middenplein with a surrounding entourage. He looks fit and healthy.

After the break Dimitri De Fauw wins the Elimination in a sprint over Matthe Pronk. Two Heats of the Derny occurred with Bradley Wiggins getting the first win and Kenny De Ketele winning the second.

The 500m Time Trial is next on tonight’s card and what a finish as Keisse/Bartko were winners over Risi/Marvulli 64.011 kph to 62.871 kph. Roberts/Hester were third in 62.237 kph.

It’s a little after midnight and the second chase is underway. Fifteen minutes in and the racers are riding tempo at 50 kph. Cavendish is leading the pack; he peels off front up the track and Marvulli/Risi attack catching Keisse/Bartko at the back of the pack. At 26 minutes into the race Risi/Marvulli and Keisse/Bartko are up one lap and Slippens/Stam are attacking with Keisse/Bartko 15 meters behind and Risi/Marvulli at another 15 meters. It’s non-stop action. The fans are dancing in the Middenplein and two fellows are carrying a huge banner with the inscription Keisse, Kaiser van het Kuipke. 33 minutes Bartko attacks. There are at least two UCI officials here with pen and paperS counting laps or noticing infractions? In the last seven minutes Wiggins and Cavendish gain a lap. Keisse and Bartko continue to attack unsuccessfully and Risi/Marvulli win with Beikirch/Mohs second and Wiggins/Cavendish third. Wiggins/Cavendish gain a bonus lap for reaching 100 points. Slippens/Stam as well gain a bonus lap and that puts them in 2nd place behind Risi/Marvulli.

The Supersprint is won by the Czechs Lazar/Kankovsky. The evening ends with two Keirin heats and a final, as well a third and fourth heat of the 60 Lap Derny Race. Points were won by the front runner teams but the standings remain the same.

Standings after Day 4:

1. Risi/Marvulli, 0 laps, 265 points
2. Slippens/Stam, 0 laps, 219 points
3. Keisse/Bartko, 1 lap, 268 points
4. Beikirch/Mohs, 3 laps, 158 points
5. De Ketele, 3 laps, 151 points
6. Mertens/ Muller, 7 laps, 105 points
7. Roberts/Hester, 14 laps, 113 points
8. De Fauw/Aeschbach, 16 laps, 192 points
9. Lazar/Kankovsky, 20 laps, 91points
10. Wiggins/Cavendish, 24 laps, 107 points
11. Cocquyt/DeNeef, 30 laps, 59 points
12. Stroetinga/Pronk, 32 laps, 77 points
13. Schets/De Poortere, 62 laps, 85 points