Ghent Six
The Ghent Six is an annual track cycling event held in the Belgian town of Ghent.
Unsurprisingly the reason for it to be called a Six is because the event takes place over six days on the boards of the Kuipke velodrome in Ghent, Belgium.
The format of Six-Day racing gained it's popularity in the late 1800s at New York's famous Madison Square Garden - this is where the name Madison comes from - with racing going on for 24 hours over the full six days.
It started out with teams of two racing around the clock, one would race while the other rested before being launched into racing over the six days and nights.
Unsurprisingly, this changed and now both riders are on the boards with each rider taking turns to race before being slung into action by their team-mate after taking a lap or so out.
The Kuipke is unique in the world of European velodromes, firstly due to it being much shorter than the standard velodrome (which is 250m) as this venue is 166-metres long, this makes it a close and intimate venue with incredibly steep banking on the corners.
The Ghent Six Day was first held back in 1922 which was won by Marcel Buysse and the superbly named Oscar Egg. Great rider, but he didn’t half cause a mess when he fell off.
The rider who has won the event the most times is Patrick Sercu who claimed victory with various team-mates 11 times. Australian rider Danny Clark has six.
Bradley Wiggins has won the event twice (2003/2016) and come second once (2002) making him the most successful Brit at the event, taking the 2016 event as Madison world champions along with Mark Cavendish.
Cavendish had also come second along with Deceuninck - Quick-Step team-mate and Six Day racing legend, Iljo Keisse in 2014.
The last winners of the event were Belgians Kenny De Ketele and partner Robbe Ghys.
There was not a 2020 event due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Latest
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Keisse's last stand - Five riders to watch at Ghent-Six 2022
Belgian rider Iljo Keisse is due to compete for the final time along with British stars Ethan Hayter and Fred Wright
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Ghent-Six 2022: everything you need to know
Our guide on everything Ghent-Six
By Cycling Weekly Published
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Mark Cavendish suffers two broken ribs and collapsed lung in Six Days of Ghent crash
The Briton spent the night in an ICU in hospital following the collision at Kuipke Velodrome
By Ryan Dabbs Published
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Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse up to third after second day of Ghent Six Day 2021
World and Olympic champions Michael Mørkøv and Lasse Norman Hansen are the new leaders
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
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Cavendish and co get Ghent Six Day underway with fans banned from drinking beer in track centre amid Covid concerns
Hangovers are on standby for those watching inside the Kuipke Velodrome
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
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'He changes bikes like his underwear' jokes Cavendish's Six Days of Ghent team-mate Iljo Keisse
The favoured team-mates have been testing their equipment ahead of the event in Belgium
By Ryan Dabbs Published
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Mark Cavendish returns to Six Days of Ghent
Five years after his unforgettable victory with Sir Bradley Wiggins, and two years after his last appearance, Cavendish is back on the boards in Belgium
By Alex Ballinger Published
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Ghent Six Day: Wiggins and Cavendish move into second place after day two
Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish enjoyed a successful day two at the Ghent Six Day, moving into second place behind Elia Viviani and Iljo Keisse.
By Henry Robertshaw Published
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Keisse and Mørkøv retain lead after day two at the Ghent Six-Day (video)
The Etixx - Quick-Step pairing were already ahead after day one and increased their lead on day two
By Jack Elton-Walters Published