It was ‘musical riders’ on Saturday night at the Rotterdam Six Day 2011; Franco is out with sickness; his partner, Netherlands road race champion, Niki Terpstra now goes with tall pursuiter, Jens Mouris.
Terpstra is a big draw and has to be a part of the race; he can’t continue to sit-out the chases.
The tall Dutchman has the build of a champion, a broad chest to house big lungs, a slim waist and well muscled, long thighs to put down the power.
He was originally a team pursuiter before he went to Milram – and now, QuickStep; Viktor rates him, so enough said.
Mouris’ erstwhile partner Jos Pronk, goes home – but still gets paid.
Late in the night, double world points silver medallist, Wim Stroetinga hit the boards and was whisked off to hospital.
It’s a suspected broken collarbone – and he’s just had an operation to have a plate removed.
His disappearance will lead to another swap round.
John Young was snapping away tonight, so I eased back on the picture count.
The madison at the Rotterdam Six Day 2011 was a ‘toughie’ with more than a few riders wasted, stuck to the track.
Terpstra was hurting but he dug deep, whilst Ligthart was on the wrong end of partner Bartko’s tongue.
Team eight, Dutchmen Yoeri Havik & Nick Stöpler: took a real hammering.
Michael was sharp though and the rest were giving our boys no slack.
De Ketele and Keisse were very attentive of our ‘Day-nizh Di-na-miyt !’ as the speaker would have it.
If I was a betting man I’d say that Schep & Bos will win from Van Bon & Stam with De Ketele & Keisse third.
Schep is very smooth and fast to go with it; he was World points champion in 2006 as well as silver medallist in the Worlds madison the following year.
He also has bronze and silver from the Worlds points champs and multiple Dutch scratch and points championships.
Bos is one of the few athletes who have made the successful transition from top track sprinter to successful roadman.
He was world sprint champion three times as well as world keirin and kilometre champion.
Since he moved to the road he’s been carving out good palmares with stage wins in races such as the Olympia Tour and Tour of North Holland.
When his Cervelo team folded it didn’t take long for Rabobank to snaffle him.
He’ll be one to watch in the early season mass finishes.
Although the word is he wants to go back to the ‘baan’ for the 2012 Olympics.
