Zürich Four Days 2011 – Day One

From the chaos emerged a track centre bar and restaurant, cabins for us, work space for the mechanics – and something to race the Zürich Four Days 2011 on.

I can’t say too much about the track – or Pete will slap me, but it obviously can’t be as smooth as a permanent one.

The stadium restaurant is good; we get one meal each day – last year it was two.

Maybe they figure that since it’s only four days we don’t need fed as much?

The racing was good, Franco is back to his old self, making it look easy – and it’s no hindrance to be paired with Iljo Keisse.

The programme has two madisons, a 100 lapper and a 220 lapper – De Ketele/Mertens took the first one with Franco/Iljo taking the second one in front of an adoring crowd.

It’s maybe not pure pagan idolatory like with Iljo at the ‘t Kuipke – but for the reserved Suisse, it’s close.

The working conditions are difficult though, there’s not enough room and way too many ‘civilians’ wandering around the cabins.

The media attention Franco gets is overwhelming, newspapers, radio and TV literally queue up at the cabin.

On a couple of occasions, Jesper has been forced out of his place in the cabin by the descending hordes.

But I suppose that’s part of the price of stardom?

Zürich Four Days - Results