Final results of the Munich Six Day Race November 6th - 11th 1997

Risi / Betschart take their third Munich victory!

The 34th Munich Six day race was won by top Swiss duo, Bruno Risi and Kurt Betschart. On the last night they came from behind, first pulling back their one-lap deficit, then using Risi's speed in the closing minutes of the race to gain the vital one-lap lead over the other top contenders.

An exciting six nights of racing had seen the lead held by Etienne de Wilde / Marco Villa, Jens Veggerby / Jimmi Madsen, Bjarne Riis / Silvio Martinello, then Veggerby / Madsen again before the two lads from Urn in Switzerland took victory on the final night. This is Risi and Betschart's third victory in the Munich Six Day race (they won in 1993 and 1994), and their 17th Six-Day victory in total. This makes them one of the most successful 6-day teams in post-war years; only Rik van Steenbergen / Emile Severeyns (Belgium), Peter Post / Fritz Pfenninger (Holland, Switzlerand) and Danny Clark / Tony Doyle (Australia, Great Britain) have won more sixes.

Bruno Risi and Kurt Betschart also become the first team ever to have won the Munich Six day race three times.

25 year old Australian Matthew Gilmore broke the track record for a flying 200-metre lap on the final night with a time of 10.43 seconds - dead on 69 km/h! Matthew's father Graham won the Munich Six in 1974 with Sigi Renz, who is now the race director for the Munich Six.

Bruno Risi and Kurt Betschart celebrate winning a Derny race during the 1997 Munich 6
Note the clock in the background showing ten minutes to one in the morning!

Picture courtesy of that well-known newspaper, the Urner Wochenblatt

The Munich Six Day cycle race takes place in Munich's Olympiahalle, and features a full program of entertainment. Six day events, particularly in Germany, are not just about the cycle racing - they are a part of the town's social calendar. When 'Er Indoors and I went over to watch the Munich Six-Day in 1996, it got as much coverage on the "social/cultural" slot on the TV as it did on the sports slot! People also turn up in huge numbers to watch the racing live - Munich's Olymipahalle has a capacity of about 14,000 spectators, and is regularly sold out. The 1997 Munich Six was watched live by a total of 89,000 spectators

At Munich, for example, there was an entire funfair around the outside of the track (but inside the stadium building). You can imagine the noise! Everything from shooting booths to ox roasts (I kid you not - you could see them strap up a new ox on the spit at the end of each evening! I subsequently found out that 10 oxen were consumed during the event), 12 bars, six restaurants.... Get the picture?

Then, they had an absolutely dire band playing in the middle of the track. During the racing, you understand. None of this namby-pamby "wait till the interval" rubbish! <g> For the really adventurous, the "night club" in the cellar published a timetable for appearances by the team of strippers - including the stripping male to keep the ladies entertained.

Want to see a list of previous winners of the Munich Six-Day?

Do you have any news about the Munich Six? Drop an e-mail to if you do, or send him a fax at 0044 161 476 2914 - Fat Nick reads German, so grotty photocopies of results sheets and local newspapers are gratefully received!

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