Track cycling: At the Sixdays in Gent, the dream duo Kenny De Ketele/Moreno De Pauw leads after day #1. In Belgium, the two want to win their first home win together. Chances are good as their arguably biggest competitors are already behind.
Sovereign start – as in the previous year
With an impressive performance, the Belgian dream duo De Ketele/De Pauw secured the lead in Gent with 77 points. After the first night they are in the clear round along with three other duos. Surprisingly not there: Callum Scotson and Cameron Meyer. Not only are the Australians a lap down, but they are seventh, down just eight points. France's Benjamin Thomas and Morgan Kneisky, who performed well at the World Cup in Manchester, are currently second with 66 points. The Dutchmen Wim Stroetinga/Yoeri Havik (54 points) and the Belgians Lindsay De Vylder/Robbe Ghys (48 points) complete the clear round. With the Brits Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins, last year's winners are unfortunately not at the start. Last year, the duo De Ketele/De Pauw finished second. Even then they were in the lead after the first night.
The leaders in the GC after day 1 🇧🇪 @depauwmoreno and @deketelekenny 🎉🎉#ZesdaagseGent #Ghent6Day pic.twitter.com/dTkMNd8O1o
— z6sdaagse Gent (@zesdaagseGent) 14 November 2017
Stand after the 1st night at the Sixdays in Gent
1. Kenny De Ketele/Moreno De Pauw (clear round/77 points)
2.Benjamin Thomas/Morgan Kneisky (0/66)
3. Wim Stroetinga/Yoeri Havik (0/54)
4. Lindsay De Vylder/Robbe Ghys (0/48)
5. Michele Scartezzini/Elia Viviani (-1/37)
6. Ollie Wood/Mark Stewart (-1/29)
7. Callum Scotson/Cameron Meyer (-1/8)
8. Jonas Rickaert/Roy Pieters (-2/39)
9. Marc Hester/Christian Grasmann (-2/9)
10. Nick Stöpler/Otto Vergaerde (-3/18)
11. Leif Lampater/Gerben Thijssen (-4/33)
12.Louis Pijourlet/Tristan Marguet (-5/2)
On the first night, the Germans did not play a significant role on the unusually short 166 meter track in the Kuipke Velodrom. The 77th six-day race in the Belgian city of Ghent will probably have to do without German winners. Christian Grasmann is ninth with his Danish partner Marc Hester, while Leif Lampater is eleventh with Belgian Gerben Thijssen. Meanwhile, top favorites Moreno De Pauw and Kenny De Ketele are aiming for their fifth joint win at the Sixdays. However, it would be the first triumph in their Belgian homeland.
The win in the final madison goes to 🌈 @KneiskyMorgan and @Ben__Thomas_ #ZesdaagseGent #Ghent6Day pic.twitter.com/tYaQR0D1Oc
— z6sdaagse Gent (@zesdaagseGent) 14 November 2017