Friday, April 25, 2025
HomeOtherEditorialKay Werner Nielson

Kay Werner Nielson

-

Kay Werner Nielson
Kay Werner Nielson.

Thursday 13th of March was a sad day for the ever shrinking world of the Six Days; former top Danish professional Six Day and track rider Kay Werner Nielson died at the age of 92.

The Copenhagen Six Day is a special race for us here at VeloVeritas – it was the first Six Day we worked at, nearly a decade ago.

We’ve built good relationships with Danish riders over that period, especially reigning Danish Elite Road Race Champion, Michael Mørkøv who’s no stranger to our pages.

Therefore it was with sadness we received an email from Mr. Henrik Elmgreen – for many years the organiser of the Copenhagen Six Day – to inform us that one of Denmark’s Six Day legends has died.

Kay Werner Nielson was the first real Danish Six Day star.

He won in 1951 in Copenhagen; the first of his 14 Six Days wins and achieved the last ten years later in 1961.

He was the man, who created the legend of the famous Danish “Team Number 7”, always in the Danish colors.

His first partner was Evan Klamer, but in 1958 he teamed with Palle Lykke, with whom he won eight Six Days.

Later, teams like Frank/Ørsted, Veggerby/Madsen and in recent years Mørkøv/Rasmussen have carried on the great tradition.

Kay Werner Nielson
Kay (L) was a marvellous track rider and went into race administration after he retired.

Nielsen was also an endurance rider of high international standard; 13 times in a row, from 1948 to 1960, he won the Danish professional title in the five kilometer individual pursuit.

And he was on the podium in the World Championships in the same discipline three times; with silver in Zurich 1953 (beaten by the legendary Sid Patterson in the final) and twice taking bronze in Milano 1951 and in Copenhagen 1956.

In 1956 he was beaten by Jacques Anquetil in the semi-final. Anquetil lost the final to Italian Guido Messina, but afterwards Anquetil said to L’Équipe, that is was in fact Nielsen and not Messina who defeated him in Copenhagen.

Kay Werner Nielson
Kay (L) with Palle Lykke.

In September 1956, at the age of 35, Nielsen made an attempt on the hour-record on the Vigorelli track in Milan.

With 45,306 Km he didn’t beat the World Record, but his result was among the very best achieved so far, and it was for many years a Danish Record.

After his career Nielsen was for some years President of the Danish Pro Cycling Federation and from 1977 until 1983 was sport director at the Copenhagen Six Days.

Henrik Elmgreen

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed was involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he was a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He was also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months often worked in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed was a highly respected journalist, his tales of chasing the Giro, Tour, Vuelta, Classics and World Championships - and his much-loved winter Six Days - are legendary, never the same twice, they gave our site an edge other cycling media could never duplicate or challenge. Sadly Ed passed away in January 2025, two years after suffering a devastating stroke.

Erik De Vlaeminck

If you’re of this generation then Sven Nys will probably be your King of ‘crosses - but if you grew up in the 70’s then you’ll know that the true Monarch of the Mud was that stocky man of Flanders; Erik De Vlaeminck, big brother to ‘Monsieur Paris-Roubaix’ Roger De Vlaeminck. Sadly, the elder De Vlaeminck brother died today in the town where he was born, Eeklo in the heart of East Flanders.

John Woodburn

John Woodburn passed away quietly in his sleep on Good Friday at 80 years-of-age. His career was a remarkable one; he won the British 25 Mile Time Trial Championship in 1961; the first to do so on a geared bike, before that the championship had been the preserve of high revving, fixed wheel pursuit riders. Woodburn loved riding a bike and racing and at 70 he could still return 21:48 for a 10 mile time trial, and in July 2002, he broke the 50 mile time-trial National Age Record for over 65s with a 1:47:40 ride, breaking the record by nearly three minutes.

Daniël (Danny) Willems

In Scotland the last two weeks have seen us lose two fine young men from our cycling scene; gone before their time, Ben Abrahams and Dougie Young. But over in the Belgian Heartland they’ve suffered too – with the recent passing of Daniel (Danny) Willems at 60 years of age. ‘Who’s Danny Willems?’ I hear you ask. I’m not surprised you should ask that; there’s been very little reaction to Willems demise - but those of my generation remember him as tall, stylish, classy and a big name in pro cycle sport in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

Gary Wiggins – a Legend with a Tragic End

The late Gary Wiggins’ sister Glenda Hughes, took to social media recently to remind us that some 13 years have passed since the big Australian died under mysterious circumstances. Wiggins had many sides – depending on how you knew him – which prompted us to re-run our review of his European glory to tragic end.

RIP Peter Post. Outstanding Road and Trackman, Six Day Star, Manager Par-Excellence

With the news on Friday that Peter Post had died in Amsterdam at the age of 77 the sport lost one of it's Colossi. Born in Amsterdam in November 1933, the son of a butcher, he had a hard childhood growing up in Nazi occupied Holland. He turned professional in 1956 for Legendary Amsterdam bicycle makers RIH Sport; he would remain in the peloton until 1972 having ridden for some of the most famous teams in the history of cycle sport-Flandria, Faema, Solo-Superia and Willem 11.

Ercole Baldini

Despite an Olympic Road Race, two World Hour Records, a World Amateur Pursuit Championship, two World Professional Pursuit Championship medals, a World Professional Road Race Championship, a Giro d'Italia, a GP des Nations and four Trofeo Baracchi many believe that the best of Ercole Baldini – who died on December 1st at the age of 89 – was never seen.

Raymond Delisle

Here at VeloVeritas we were saddened to hear of the recent loss of one of the names from our youth. Former French professional champion and Tour de France ace Raymond Delisle died recently at the age of 70. One of those super cool Peugeot riders from the late 60's and early 70's with names like Pingeon, Thevenet, Danguillaume, Ovion - and Delisle, they even sounded classy.

Felice Gimondi

Felice Gimondi, Grand Tour conqueror, Classics winner, ‘chronoman’ of quality, stylist, gentleman and all-time great, rest in peace sir.