Risi and Betschart start season with a win
Matt Gilmore injured in crash
The 1998 Herning Six was marred by a very bad crash, with Adriano Baffi and Matthew Gilmore colliding during a flying 500 metre time trial. Both are hurt - Baffi has a shoulder injury, and is out of the race. Even more seriously, Matthew Gilmore appears to have sustained a contused lung and injured his back, and is in hospital. Let's all send them some good thoughts. The race results are further down this page - I'm afraid they become of secondary interest when I hear riders are hurt. Here's an account from the trackside:
"Herning 6 day had a bad day on Saturday night, during the 500m lap record DeWilde was leading team mate Gilmore when on the bend one of the Belgian mechanics stepped back catching Gilmore on the head. The mechanic was pushed forward hiting Baffi who ended in the cabin and dislocated his shoulder, the mechanic dislocated his hip, but it was Gilmore who recieved the worst injuries, he fell face down on the track at 68 kph fracturing his jaw and getting many face injuries, he collapsed the right lung and bruised the base of his spine, he was comatose for some 10 minutes. He was transfered to a specialist unit in Arhus where his wife has gone straight from Belgium. Today after the race, Van Slicke, LaPage, and DeWilde drove up to see him. It seems unlikely that he will race agian this season.
Baffi had to have a general anasthetic to have his shoulder fixed, as the dislocation was backwards from the shoulder blade. Just 20 mins after all this a spectator leaned out and punched Jesper Skibby in the shoulder, causing massive bruising, he is neutralised."
I received the following update from Angus Fraser, who is working at the Herning Six as a soigneur:
"This is the latest from the Doctor: Matt has 6 broken ribs, broken collar bone, 3 vertebrae which the will operate on tomorrow, Tuesday and perhaps put a plate in. The lungs they will have to wait and see how & when they heal, but they have told him he COULD be on his bike in 6 months, the level he can ride we will just have to wait and see. He is in the ARHUS KOMMUNE HOSPITAL, and could be transferred to Belgium in 10 days."
Swiss six-day stars Bruno Risi and Kurt Betschart rode a very canny race, letting other teams lead the race right through to the last evening. By saving their legs in this way, the Swiss duo were able to put in a blistering attack to take the crucial lap just two minutes from the end of the final session.
1. Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart 355 pts
1 lap down:
2. Rolf Sørensen/Jimmi Madsen 385 pts
3. Silvio Martinello/Jesper Skibby 375 pts
4. Marco Villa/Michael Sandstød 312 pts
5. Etienne de Wilde/Tayeb Braikia 289 pts
16 laps down:
6. Rolf Aldag/Mikael Kyneb 154 pts
18 laps down:
7. Torsten Schmidt/Andreas Beikirch 173 pts
23 laps down:
8. Mario Vonhof/Ronny Lerche 155 pts
25 laps down:
9. Rik van Slijcke/Lorenzo Lapage 100 pts
I notice that Rob Hayles disappeared from the results after the fourth night; his partner, Scott McGrory, has been suffering with what is known in polite circles as a "saddle sore", and Rob spent an evening riding with Martinello, before continuing on his own once Jesper Skibby had recovered from his shoulder injury. Riding a "six" on your own is a pretty lonely business, especially when you are over 21 laps down, so Rob was probably withdrawn from the race.
Britain's Rob Hayles rode as a last-minute replacement for Brett Aitken, who was injured during the GP des Nations meeting in Paris just before the Herning Six. And speaking of injury, best wishes to Jens Veggerby, winner of last year's Herning Six (with Jimmi Madsen). Jens was knocked off his bike by a car over the summer, and his broken collar bone is taking a while to heal, so he won't be riding in Herning. Another Danish rider, Jakob Piil, is also recovering from injury after damaging his hip in a crash. A speedy recovery to both of you.
The Herning Six is one of two six-day races in Denmark. The race is held at the Trade Fair center in Herning (if you want to read all about it in Danish, click here to visit their web site!), where they put up one of Ron Webb's portable tracks. The track is 160 metres in length, which should make it relatively easy to gain a lap as it is one of the shorter tracks. (Hey, I only said relatively easy, guys!)
Do you have any
news about the Herning Six? Drop an e-mail to 
if you do, or send him a fax at 0044 161 476
2914 - Fat Nick doesn't read Danish, but he has ways of
finding out what it says, so grotty photocopies of
results sheets and local newspapers are gratefully
received!