Resurrecting this thread – I took my son to Gent a fortnight ago and it was superb. We had the hospitality tickets, and yes the food was random (but plenty) as was the beer and wine. The atmosphere was superb, especially as it was basically the brits (with support in the thousands) v the local hero Keisse (who’s sister runs a cycling bar in Gent that we visited).

We’ll return next year – how about a Cogal of sorts? We used Sports Tours International and they were excellent.

i’m trying to go this fall, as it will also allow the opportunity to view the duinencross.  it’s on my list to see a six day for my whole adult life.  indeed, i’d rather this, than to see a grand tour live.

We’ll return next year – how about a Cogal of sorts? We used Sports Tours International and they were excellent.

In fact, the header image of this post is one I took in Ghent in 2012. That was Mr. Zijlaard’s last race as a derny driver – that doesn’t make up for the poor photograph, of course, but it still makes me smile to remember the show.

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/12/danny-clark-making-a-comeback-at-the-austral/

Saw Danny win the 1990 Austral. A bullet on the track! Hope he makes it through the heats!

Café Domestique should have a kiosk in the Milton velodrome. Delays in construction mean my certification for the track got pushed back to January. The consolation is that I was given free tix to the national track championships. Also this: Just ordered a track bike.

Come up to Burnaby to our 4 day. We have beer!

http://www.burnabyvelodrome.ca/racing/burnaby-four-day/

I’m only racing the last two days this year, due to being away for the holidays.

Come up to Milton to check out the brand spankin new Mattamy National Cycling Centre. Not sure about the beer (you might have to apply for a permit–this is Ontario after all!)

Our local club has booked an afternoon next month. This will be my first time on the boards. I’m going to channel my inner Niki Terpstra.

http://www.burnabyvelodrome.ca/racing/burnaby-four-day/

I’m only racing the last two days this year, due to being away for the holidays.

Het Kuipke is often a sell out (certainly for good seats by September) – save for the “floor”, i.e., the flat bit in the middle of the track which is standing only or unless you buy entry to the VIP tent. For EUR90 (from memory) you get all the beer you can drink – although you have to leave trackside – plus preferred seating. Plus a massive mountain of cheese and white grapes. And slabs of pate. And ice cream. Or put another way, the most random selection of foodstuffs you could possibly imagine.

Ghent is always the best racing but Munich was the best cultural experience. All the locals turn up for the Friday evening in lederhsen and dirndles (and they mean it, i.e., worn wholly without irony); the year I was there they had a band doing well intentioned but pretty poor Springsteen covers and a trampolining dwarf. (I shit you not.) Sadly Munich doesn’t happen any longer.

http://www.sixdays-zuerich.ch/index.php?id=102

Once a year and live, only the program in between the races is a little annoying.

It is Gent in Dutch and Flemish, it is Ghent in English, Gand in French, I could go on and on

I live in Ghent and have visited the six a few times.

@Gianni

Gent Six Day

So is it Ghent then?

I remember reading about 6 day races. I seem to remember then ended up banning them… to dangerous or something but that was back when they actually raced for 6 days.

Considering I’ve given up on most American sports, but do love going to the local auto track a few times each summer ($5 entry, BYOB, always a fight in the crowd)…I could easily spend some time enjoying a six day race.

American sports are losing their appeal to me, not completely, but I don’t make an effort to watch unless it’s the home town team. Even then a bike ride or family time will win.  Track racing and spectating bike events though… I find the time.

It was only a few years before he died, and I was so pleased we went as one of my earliest cycling memories is of going him taking me to see the Skol 6 day at Wembley for a few years in the 70s.

Full circle, as it were.

Gent will be revisited one of these years.

David

I live in Ghent and have visited the six a few times. First time was a school trip, I was 10. Merckx teamed up with Sercu that year. We all went to the Prophet‘s tent and got his autograph. I don’t have it anymore. The only thing I rember vividly are his legs and the huge veins on them. Happy days.

Het Kuipke is a non smoking venue, Ghent has no city bikes.

Wholly Molly, Merckx AND Sercu – that just boggles the mind the combined number of wins for 365 days is off the charts! No need to ask who won that six…

Het Kuipke is definitely non smoking, everything is here.

There will definitely be 1 women at the zesdaagse who wants to be there (and 1 man who doesn’t).

There are city bikes (Blue bike), but you have to bring them back to the same location you took them (different from most other cities). A more common approach if you want a bike, is yelling at any student that he’s riding your (stolen) bike and chances are high he will give it to you…

Brilliant all around. Glad to hear you are dragging your “man” out to give him a dose.

There will definitely be 1 women at the zesdaagse who wants to be there (and 1 man who doesn’t).

There are city bikes (Blue bike), but you have to bring them back to the same location you took them (different from most other cities). A more common approach if you want a bike, is yelling at any student that he’s riding your (stolen) bike and chances are high he will give it to you…

Het Kuipke is a non smoking venue, Ghent has no city bikes.

I spent a couple of days in Ghent one spring and I have never seen so many bikes in one place in my life. The scene at one train station was like this:-

I think if Descartes was from Ghent he would have written “I ride therefore I am. (But I obliviate with beer).

@Gianni

@Chris

Wasn’t that your idea of a Cogal with city bikes, pub to pub, each pub near a bike stand? It is still a genius idea and needs to be followed up somehow. Do it in Gent, ending up at the velodrome. That would work.Between us, there’s some insane, evil genius going on. If you weren’t so old I’d suspect we’d been separated at birth.

Between us, there’s some insane, evil genius going on. If you weren’t so old I’d suspect we’d been separated at birth.

Lets make it happen.

Does Ghent have city bikes or are we going to have to appropriate them from some other European city and have them back in the rack every twenty four hours as per the London to Ventoux Boris Bike Escapade?

I’m up for it

@Chris

Wasn’t that your idea of a Cogal with city bikes, pub to pub, each pub near a bike stand? It is still a genius idea and needs to be followed up somehow. Do it in Gent, ending up at the velodrome. That would work.Between us, there’s some insane, evil genius going on. If you weren’t so old I’d suspect we’d been separated at birth.

Between us, there’s some insane, evil genius going on. If you weren’t so old I’d suspect we’d been separated at birth.

Lets make it happen.

Does Ghent have city bikes or are we going to have to appropriate them from some other European city and have them back in the rack every twenty four hours as per the London to Ventoux Boris Bike Escapade?

@Gianni Sounds a bit like test cricket (five day matches). Not everyone has the endurance to sit through them either in terms of the mentality or alcohol consumption.

As an easily amused simpleton with a proclivity for all day sessions, the Ghent Six has been on the list since I first heard of it.

Can a Cogal be a Cogal if it doesn’t include throwing a leg over a bike?

Like cricket but with excitement! But yes, it is a test for the spectators, I actually would only be good for one session.

Wasn’t that your idea of a Cogal with city bikes, pub to pub, each pub near a bike stand? It is still a genius idea and needs to be followed up somehow. Do it in Gent, ending up at the velodrome. That would work.

As an easily amused simpleton with a proclivity for all day sessions, the Ghent Six has been on the list since I first heard of it.

Can a Cogal be a Cogal if it doesn’t include throwing a leg over a bike?

Yep, that video is a bit lame. Better to be there in person.

This is a better bit for getting the feel for a six day race.

Yeah, my tolerance for smokey places and for staying up until 2am have waned as I turn into an old bastard. Still, I’m more than ready to find out. Somehow, a six-day in Zurich or Copenhagen just doesn’t have the same cache as one in funky Gent. I wouldn’t even care that I couldn’t understand the announcer as long as the beer server and I could reach an understanding.