Track cycling: Normally the wheat separates from the chaff the longer a six-day race lasts. At the Sixdays Bremen, however, everything seems to be a little different. The race gets more exciting every day. While the day before - with four teams in the clear round - we were still talking about the fact that it couldn't get any more exciting, after day #4 there are five teams in the clear round. In addition, there was another change at the top …
Kneisky/Howard take the lead
The world champions have struck! The Morgan Kneisky/Leigh Howard duo took the lead at the 54th Sixdays Bremen. Having been fifth a day earlier, they have now passed all four teams in front of them. The Franco-Australian duo didn't win a single competition on Day #4, but they ended up waving from the top thanks to clearing the second bonus hurdle. Absolutely nothing has been decided yet at the Sixdays Bremen. On the contrary: Five teams are together in the zero round. Achim Burkart/Yoeri Havik are only eleven points behind.
Eric Weispfennig: “We now have five teams in the clear round. The conditions for the penultimate evening of racing could hardly be more exciting.”
Lead change at the top after Day 4/6 in the #SIXDAYSBREMEN: Leigh Howard & Morgan Kneisky Jump to 1! pic.twitter.com/SbTucjwR7r
— SIXDAYS BREMEN (@sixdays_bremen) 14 January 2018
Moment of horror for Achim Burkart
Right at the start of the race, Achim Burkart's fans had to endure a moment of horror. In the elimination drive he collided with Michele Scartezzini and fell. While the German was able to continue with minor abrasions, Scartezzini was hospitalized to be on the safe side. Sprinter Tomas Babek from the Czech Republic, who fell the day before, was no longer able to take part in the race after his fall. After day #4 there is still a German double lead in the sprint, consisting of René Enders (38 points) in front of Carl Hinze (41 points).
Eric Weispfennig: “Achim was not upset by the fall. In the hunt that followed, he demonstratively took the lead with Yoeri.”
Achim #Burkart and the Italian Michele #Scartezini are with the #Sixdays #Bremen crashed at the exit of the Haake-Beck curve @sixdays_bremen https://t.co/3y42ayvOW6
— WESER KURIER (@weserkurier) 14 January 2018
Premiere: Madison of the ladies at the Sixdays Bremen
Before the men were allowed to do their rounds, the spectators had a real premiere to marvel at on Sunday. For the first time, the women competed against each other in the Madison at the Bremen six-day race. In the traditional two-man team drive, the favorites from the Netherlands, Kirsten Wild and Marit Raaijmakers, prevailed against Julie Leth from Denmark and Christina Birch from the USA. The German duo Anna Knauer and Lin Teutenberg came in third.
Eric Weispfennig: “That was a strong race. The women really gave their all.”
Absolute premiere: women Madison! 😍🚴🏻♀️🚀💥 #SIXDAYSBREMEN 4/6 pic.twitter.com/LNCSesMbqi
— SIXDAYS BREMEN (@sixdays_bremen) 14 January 2018
Cover image source: © ESN Arne Mill