Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish win the Ghent Six Day
British duo Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins put in huge effort in final Madison to claim the 2016 Ghent Six Day victory
Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish won the Ghent Six Day in Belgium on Sunday, gaining a lap on their main rivals in the final, decisive Madison event.
After six days of racing, the margin between the top three duos was remarkably tight. Wiggins and Cavendish went into the final Madison in third place overall, and needing to physically gain a lap on leaders Kenny De Ketele/Moreno De Pauw and second-placed Elia Viviani/Iljo Keisse to overthrow them.
Wiggins and Cavendish gained an early lap to take the lead in the hour-long finale, but their two rivals soon gained a lap to neutralise their advantage. The British pair then answered with another gained lap, and their rivals then regained a lap in a game of tactical tit-for-tat.
>>> Ghent Six Day: everything you need to know
After half an hour of frantic lap-gaining, the position of the top three teams remained as it was when the event started. With 50 laps to go, points were then awarded on the intermediate sprint laps, which signalled a further upping of the pace.
Wiggins/Cavendish elected not to get involved in the sprint laps as De Ketele/De Pauw and Viviani/Keisse scrapped for points, instead holding back their energy to try and gain a lap.
Madison world champions Wiggins and Cavendish timed their effort perfectly, biding their time until their rivals were fatigued from sprinting to points to open up their final, blistering move to gain a lap – and take the overall victory. In total, Wiggins and Cavendish had gained a mammoth 11 laps during the race, with all but the last countered by their rivals.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The event has been billed as Wiggins's last race to close out his career, but already he has hinted that he may continue racing in Six Day events. However, it is the last time that he and Cavendish will race together as a team – and what a way to finish a glittering partnership.
It's the first time that a British pair have ever won the Ghent Six Day, although Wiggins won it in 2003 with Belgian Matthew Gilmore.
>>> Mark Cavendish takes a break from the Ghent Six Day to perform the YMCA (video)
Final overall standings
1. Bradley Wiggins/Mark Cavendish (Saey-Callant) 410 points
2. Kenny De Ketele/Moreno De Pauw (Baloise Insurance) 475 (-1 lap)
3. Elia Viviani/Iljo Keisse (LIDL) 468 (-1 lap)
4. Nick Stopler/Cameron Meyer 224 (-4 laps)
5. Lindsay De Vylder/Leif Lampater (Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen) 240 (-12 laps)
6. Otto Vergaerde/Morgan Kneisky (Caruur) 214 (-12 laps)
7. Jesper Morkov/Marc Hester (TUI) 126 (-12 laps)
8. Nick Stopler/Tristan Marguet (Primus Haacht) 109 (-26 laps)
9. Roy Pieters/Jonas Rickaert (Topsport Vlaanderen) 113 (-32 laps)
10. Alex Rasmussen/Yoeri Havik (Vanreusel Snacks) 77 (-48 laps)
11. Ollie Wood/Mark Stewart (Energy Lab) 56 (-48 laps)
12. Marcel Kalz/Robbe Ghys (T-Interim) 139 (-57 laps)
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
'We'd get McDonald's on the way home': Inside Josh Tarling's rise from determined 8-year-old to Olympic favourite
Ahead of his Olympic debut, the European champion and his dad, Michael, look back at the scene that made him
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'We see war everywhere, people are losing their dreams': Olympic cyclist who fled Afghanistan aims to inspire hope
Aged just 16, Amir Ansari fled his home and embarked on a 3,000-mile journey in search of safety. Eight years on, he’s about to become an Olympian. Dan Challis hears his story
By Dan Challis Published
-
'I've lived everyone’s dream': Mark Cavendish hints at snap retirement after last ever Tour de France stage
The Manx Missile is the 2024 Tour's lanterne rouge
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
'I'm so tired': Emotional Mark Cavendish thanks teammates after surviving Tour de France time cut
The Briton is just two days away from finishing the Tour de France for an eighth time
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Mark Cavendish makes time limit on stage 19 - and four other tales of riders who survived the Tour de France cut-off
Brit finishes with more than five minutes to spare on Isola 2000
By Tom Davidson Published
-
End of an era: Witnessing Mark Cavendish's last ever Tour de France sprint
The Astana Qazaqstan rider finished 17th in Nîmes in what is almost definitely his last ever sprint at the Tour. Cycling Weekly was there to see it
By Adam Becket Published
-
Mark Cavendish 'upset and angry' after being relegated for 'deviation' on Tour de France stage 12
The Astana-Qazaqstan rider originally finished fifth, before being relegated
By Adam Becket Published
-
Rod Ellingworth 'totally open' to Mark Cavendish making Tour of Britain appearance
'There will always be a place for Mark' says race director after Cavendish’s Tour de France record breaking triumph in Saint-Vulbas
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mark Cavendish says he has 'one' opportunity left to take another Tour de France stage win
The Manxman was left frustrated after finishing 18th on stage 10
By Adam Becket Published
-
Mark Cavendish fined for drafting behind race car at Tour de France
Sprinter receives 200CHF sanction and points deduction after stage six
By Tom Davidson Published