We’re at the the Copenhagen Six Day 2011, but first, Ricco; you have to respect his 100% commitment to being a moronic little twat.
There was a piece about him on Cyclingnews having a ‘kidney problem,’ when I checked the site in the morning, I thought it was a tad strange – how does a super fit young man have a kidney problem?
But the press release I received from Vacansoleil a bit later revealed the true horror of the situation – I’ve tidied up the original translation a little;
“The team acknowledges the rumours regarding the rider Riccardo Ricco. These rumours say that Ricco has admitted to having carried out a blood transfusion by himself. Ricco has admitted this transfusion to the doctors when he was hospitalised with high fever in Pavullo.
“The team does not have enough knowledge of the relevant facts to make a deliberated judgement on this matter.”
Madness, it just won’t come to an end.
…Ah yes, the Copenhagen Six Day
On the boards, our boys did the biz, winning their home Six for the third straight year.
Whilst many of the Six Day regulars seemed to be suffering from ‘last six of the season blues,’ the home ‘Par nr. 7’ wanted the win, badly – especially Michael.
Whilst delighted with their win and revelling in their sweattie cuddles, men of the match for me were ‘Par nr. 9’ – our boy Jens-Erik Madsen and fellow Dane Marc Hester.
They were solid all week and deserved their podium spot, it was no ‘soft home podium’ – they raced harder than riders who’ll be banking much larger cheques than them, today.
Six Day ‘chef’ Danny Stam and fellow Dutchman, Leon Van Bon took third – our Danny likes his podiums.
For a final night the programme was hectic, with only one break; it wasn’t a night for snapping pictures, you had to keep your eyes open for riders going up onto the track and riders coming in; as well as the usual changes, drinks and errands.
Martin and I made time to go and skek the Ole Ritter Lounge at the stadium, before things went critical mass.
Ritter was one of my boyhood heroes, no-one looked better on a time trial or Six Day bike than Ole Ritter.
As well as was a World Hour Record holder he held World Track Records from 5 to 100 kilometres; he was a Worlds medallist in the amateur road race and pro pursuit; a top ten finisher in the Giro and one of the few men to beat Merckx in time trials when it mattered.
We also made time to watch the last session of the UiV under 23 Six Day.
The English lads Owain Doull and Joshua Papworth rode a good race but lost a lap in the stramash to finish second. They’re nice laddies with their feet on the ground, it seems to us.
On the subject of a stramashes, it was crazy with VIPs and Media – sometimes it was hard to get the guys into their cabins though the mass of suits.
A relaxed Franco appeared, he did some PR work for the race organisation after he quit the race and is looking forward to a month off the bike – he needs it.
Bartko took the track record for the flying lap; apparently he was turning a big gear but the right sling from partner Robert (Drago) Bengsch must be worth 10 metres alone.
Setting it all up nicely for the last 60 minutes.
The boys had to endure endless radio, TV and press interviews and it was late, very late, when we finally all got back to the cabin.
Handshakes, hugs and a wave of sadness that I won’t be sitting writing in the afternoon quiet at the track tomorrow and ‘Cara Mia Mine’ won’t be battering my hearing at sometime around midnight as the wash off the string cools my skin and the bikes’ tread bands and chains make their lovely music.
But it’s only a week or two until we visit the Heartland – Het Nieuwsblad, pils, bergs, frites, cobbles and Flemish weather.
And once the chatter dies down, we should be rid of Ricco – forever.
Copenhagen Six Day Final Standings
Sprint 1
1 Jens-Erik Madsen (Den)/Marc Hester (Den) Principia 5 pts
2 Alex Rasmussen (Den)/Michael Mørkøv (Den) Lundbæk & Hansen 3
3 Colby Pearce (USA)/Sebastian Donadio (Arg) CEC 2
4 Niki Byrgesen (Den)/Christian Ranneries (Den) Post Danmark 1
5 Peter Schep (Ned)/Leif Lampater (Ger) Sydbank
6 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Robert Bengsch (Ger) Loxam
7 Andreas Müller (Aut)/Tristan Marguet (Swi) PO Nielsen
8 Alexei Markov(Rus)/Ivan Kovalev (Rus) Claus Dalsgaard