Day One
Patti Smith is telling me at pain threshold levels; ‘because the night belongs to lovers.’
No girl! It belongs to that bed in the camper van which I’m using my last dregs of energy to reach.
The racing may be over for the night but the party is 100% ON, Bremen isn’t called the ‘Party Six’ for nothing.
The bass thumps through the camper walls but I’m so tired I know I’ll sleep through it.
It wasn’t a bad first night, we may not have set the heather on fire in the chases but our 22 year-old German, Moritz Augenstein in his sixth Six Day, partnered with Dane Oliver Wulff Frederiksen, took the 500m time trial with a new track record.
Whilst our sprinter, big Czech Tomas Babek, who’s reigning European Games Kilometre Champion took the keirin and was best sprinter overall for the evening.
As well as Moritz we have our regular German client of five years, 27 year-old Hans Pirius riding his 26th Six Day race and driving us crazy with his choice of music, checkout ‘Car Radio’ by 21 Pilots.
He’s seen in the picture speaking to Israel Start-Up World Tour pro, Nelis Politt.
Hans rides with Aussie Joshua Harrison who’s just back from the Tassie Carnival circuit.
Finally there’s 26 year-old Englishman Stephen Bradbury (seen here giving the sling) in his third Six Day, albeit he’s an experienced madison rider having competed in 100 K and three day events.
Stephen is partnered by ‘big unit’ Belgian, Bryan Boussaer who’s riding his third Six Day.
It’s a new track surface here and much better than the old one which wasn’t the fastest or safest and last year was looking pretty battle scarred.
It’s a varied field, there are novices but some top guys too, like Belgian former World Madison Champion, Kenny De Ketele, seen here slinging partner, Politt.
Kenny’s countryman and ex-regular partner, seven times a Six Day winner, Moreno De Pauw rides with Germany’s Leon Rohde
Rotterdam six winner, Dutchman Wim Stroetinga, seen here taking the sling from Swiss partner, Nico Selenati is an old hand with 54 Six Days and five wins under his belt.
German World Champion, Theo Reinhardt rides with French former World Madison champion and FDJ World Tour rider, Morgan Kneisky [FDJ].
And Paris-Roubaix runner up, Nils Politt is looking colourful in that new Israel Start-Up kit.
Man with the most experience is Dane and former Copenhagen Six Day winner, Marc Hester with over 100 Six Day starts to his name.
And it was Hester and partner Austria’s former European Madison Champion, Andreas Graf who took the first chase after a rather protracted, smokey opening ceremony which seemed to go on for ever, then a devil, which we didn’t win.
By the end of that first chase there were teams five laps down – some guys are in for a difficult week.
Swiss, Tristan Marguet won the first Derny.
Scotsman Jonathan Mitchell won his sprint heat, no pictures I’m afraid, I was on holding up duties.
To celebrate his win the PA pumped out an Ibiza/Bremen/disco mix version of ‘Scotland the Brave’ – interesting…
As I waited to hold up Tomas in one of his rides, an old guy leaned over the barrier and hollered at the girls who present the bouquets to get their picture. ‘The newspapers like pictures of the young girls, you know? ’ he told me with a conspiratorial wink.
I smiled and eased quietly away along the barrier.
As I said earlier, we won the 500m TT and Tomas won the keirin so it wasn’t a bad start.
Hester/Graf top the first night standings – and then it was time to do the washing…
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Bremen Six Day 2020 – Day Two
Last night it was Patti Smith, tonight it was ‘Tainted Love’ by a covers band at two million decibels.
I guess if you had a beer in your hand and your sweetheart on your arm it would have been a good gig but not if your feet are on fire and all you can think about is BED.