Patrick Sercu hopeful over Bradley Wiggins Ghent Six-Day appearance
Former Belgian pro says he spoke to Bradley Wiggins Kortrijk in April about riding at the 2015 edition of the Ghent Six
Race director Patrick Sercu has said that he hopes to tie Sir Bradley Wiggins (Team Wiggins) down to a final appearance at the Ghent Six-Day before he retires, with the four-time Olympic champion reportedly telling the Belgian he would “very much” like to ride the event.
Wiggins has ridden the event twice before in his career, in 2003 and 2007, both build-up years to competing on the track at the Olympics, which could mean an appearance at prestigious track event will fit into his programme as he prepares for Rio 2016.
Sercu, a gold medallist himself and the record holder for Ghent Six-Day victories, says that he spoke to Wiggins between this year’s Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix about riding at this year’s edition of the race in November.
“In the week between the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix I spoke with Wiggins in Kortrijk,” Sercu told Het Nieuwsblad.
“I asked Bradley if he would like to ride six-day cycle races again, particularly in Ghent. His answer: “Very much!””
Bradley Wiggins with Mark Cavendish at the 2007 Ghent Six-Day
The 2012 Tour de France winner is only one of two British riders to win at the Ghent Six, along with Tony Doyle in 1991, having taken victory with Matthew Gilmore in 2003. Sercu won the event 11 times between 1965 and 1991, alongside fellow Belgian legends like Eddy Merckx and Roger de Vlaeminck.
Wiggins’s 2007 partner Mark Cavendish (Etixx – Quick-Step) was last Briton to race the Six Days of Ghent, receiving permission from his team bosses to compete and finishing second alongside Iljo Keisse, who also rides on the road for Etixx.
Bradley Wiggins’s time trial minute man