November 23, 2005 - The first night of racing at het Kuipke indoor track in Gent, Belgium is in the books. Before a nearly sold out crowd of 7,000 spectators, the top 6-day riders and endurance track speedsters in the world put on a dazzling show of speed and bike handling skills. The racing was fast and furious as local cycling stars Matthew Gilmore and his 22-year-old partner Iljo Keisse are in the lead with 63 points. Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott McGrory (Aus) are in 2nd with 59 points and the Dutch duo Robert Slippens/Danny Stam in third with 57 points.

During the first Madison Robert Slippens took a serious fall, tearing his shorts and pulling wood slivers out of his thigh. Slippens was slow to return to the fray.

With tonights racing, Matthew Gilmore joins an exclusive club of six-day racers have that done more than 100 six-day events. Of the current six-day specialists, only six riders have more than 100 6-day starts: Gerd Dorich (140), Bruno Risi (137), Kurt Betschart (134), Marco Villa (121), Jimmy Madsen (115) and Andreas Kappes (105). Matthew is now tied with his father Graham Gilmore who rode 100 six-day races.

Gilmore/Keisse had a good start to the grind, scoring well in winning the 1st Madison, getting second place in the 2nd Madison, and Gilmore taking first in both Derny #2 and the Derny final. Also showing his strength was the Swiss track ace Marco Marvulli who won both the Individual Elimination (miss and out) and the 500m Sprint/TT. They also got second in the Scatch event and second again in the first Madison with his partner Marco Villa (Ita).

Results
Points race

1 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger) 15 pts
2 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel) 8
3 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den) 8
4 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita) 7
5 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus) 5
6 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel) 5
7 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa) 5
8 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger) 3
9 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) 3
10 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi) 2
11 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned) 2
12 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr) 2
13 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned) 1

Team elimination

1 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned) 15 pts
2 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi) 10
3 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel) 8
4 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus) 6
5 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita) 4
6 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) 2
7 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)
8 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)
9 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)
10 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)
11 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)
12 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
13 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)

1 lap time trial

1 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned) 15 pts
2 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger) 10
3 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus) 8
4 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa) 6
5 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel) 4
6 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned) 2
7 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)
8 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)
9 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)
10 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)
11 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)
12 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita)
13 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)

Madison

1 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel) 15 pts
2 Franco Marvulli (Swi)/Marco Villa (Ita) 10
3 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi) 8
4 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus) 6
5 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned) 4

One lap behind

6 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned) 2
7 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
8 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)
9 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)
10 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)
11 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)
12 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)
13 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)

Derny 1

1 Dimitri De Fauw 5 pts
2 Alexander Aeschbach 4
3 Wouter Van Mechelen 3
4 Marty Nothstein 2
5 Peter Schep 1
6 Marc Hester

Elimination

1 Franco Marvulli 15 pts
2 Scott McGrory 10
3 Christian Grasmann 8
4 Mark Cavendish 6
5 Kenny De Ketele 4
6 Matthé Pronk 2
7 Bruno Risi
8 Andreas Beikirch
9 Robert Slippens
10 Iljo Keisse
11 Gerd Dorich
12 Steven De Neef
13 Juan Llaneras

Derny 2

1 Matthew Gilmore 5 pts
2 Robert Bartko 4
3 Danny Stam 3
4 Robert Hayles 2
5 Kurt Betschart 1
6 Marco Villa

500 meter

1 Franco Marvulli (Sui)/Marco Villa (Ita) 15 pts
2 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus) 10
3 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger) 8
4 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr) 6
5 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel) 4
6 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa) 2
7 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)
8 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)
9 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
10 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi)
11 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)
12 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)
13 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)

Madison

1 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned) 15 pts
2 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel) 10
3 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi) 8
4 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus) 6
5 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) 4

One lap behind

6 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned) 2
7 Franco Marvulli (Sui)/Marco Villa (Ita)
8 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa)
9 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel)
10 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr)
11 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger)
12 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)
13 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den)

Supersprint

1 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den) 15 pts
2 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel) 10
3 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger) 8
4 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa) 6
5 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) 4
6 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr) 2
7 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned)
8 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned)
9 Franco Marvulli (Sui)/Marco Villa (Ita)
10 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel)
11 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)
12 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus)
13 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger)

Scratch

1 Steve Schets 15 pts
2 Franco Marvulli 10
3 Peter Schep 8
4 Kenny De Ketele 6
5 Iljo Keisse 4
6 Marty Nothstein 2
7 Christian Grasmann
8 Matthé Pronk
9 Robert Hayles
10 Andreas Beikirch
11 Bruno Risi
12 Robert Slippens
13 Scott McGrory

Derny finale

1 Matthew Gilmore 5 pts
2 Robert Bartko 4
3 Danny Stam 3
4 Wouter Van Mechelen 2
5 Dimitri De Fauw 1
6 Alexander Aeschbach

Overall Standing after first night

1 Matthew Gilmore/Iljo Keisse (Bel) 63 pts
2 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Scott Mcgrory (Aus) 59
3 Robert Slippens/Danny Stam (Ned) 57
4 Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi) 29

One lap behind

5 Franco Marvulli (Sui)/Marco Villa (Ita) 61
6 Kenny De Ketele (Bel)/Alexander Aeschbach (Swi) 27

Two laps behind

7 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger) 39
8 Steven Deneef/Steve Schets (Bel) 30
9 Marty Nothstein (USA)/Juan Llaneras (Spa) 23
10 Peter Schep (Ned)/Gerd Dörich (Ger) 20
11 Robert Hayles/Mark Cavendish (GBr) 18
12 Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)/Matthé Pronk (Ned) 14

Three laps behind

13 Christian Grasmann (Ger)/Marc Hester (Den) 31