Cyclist
Cyclist magazine issue 148: on sale now!
Issue 148, February 2024, of Cyclist magazine is on sale now. Subscribe to Cyclist here or buy issue 148 at the Cyclist Shop
If you’re a fan of professional cycling, there are a few places you should aim to be at least once in your life: beside the Arenberg Trench on the day of Paris-Roubaix; on Dutch Corner when the Tour de France visits Alpe d’Huez; and at the ’t Kuipke velodrome on the Saturday evening of the Six Days of Ghent.
Yes, it’s track cycling, which can be a baffling version of the sport for us road cyclists. And yes, trying to follow what’s going on in the Madison is about as easy as trying to follow your favourite fish during a feeding frenzy. And yes, the whole thing takes place in a nondescript building in a particularly charmless bit of a fairly drab city.
But for all that, the Ghent Six is still a must-see.
It’s all about the party. The Belgians love a beer, which is why we love the Belgians, and why the centre of the ’t Kuipke on a Saturday in November resembles a particularly thumping nightclub with a bicycle race going on around the outside. Sometimes there are more people watching the impromptu competition to see who can jump over the highest stack of beer glasses than there are watching the track racing.
This is not the respectful attention of the crowd at a tennis tournament, or the chest-thumping tribalism of fans at a football match. This is sport spectating as a joyous, raucous celebration, where who wins is not as important as how much you cheer yourself hoarse over the course of an evening.
It also explains how a six-day event managed to sell out, packing in 6,000 people a night. It’s something we could do with a bit more of in this country. At a time when the cycling industry is still suffering from a post-Covid hangover, and races such as the Tour of Britain are under threat, we could do with a big, blousy, boisterous, British cycling bash to give us all a lift.
All we need is a velodrome, a sound system, a copy of ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’, and enough enthusiasm to turn it into a must-visit national event. Turn to p72 of the February 2024 issue of Cyclist to see how it’s done.
What’s in issue 148?
Red rock rollin’: In the east of the Utah desert, nestled among ancient sandstone canyons, is Moab, once a small mining town populated by prospectors and cowboys, today a cycling mecca like no place on Earth
AVV: After retiring from her stellar racing career, Annemiek van Vleuten tells Cyclist about her warrior mindset, her impact on women’s cycling and what she plans to do next
Six days of Ghent – a party with a race: Track racing may not be your thing, but the Six Days of Ghent is an event that every cycling fan should experience at least once. Even if you don’t watch the race
Rocacorba: The most celebrated climb never to have featured in a pro race
Going places: Indoor training is one of the most dynamic sectors of the cycling market and it’s getting more advanced by the minute. Cyclist looks at how far it has come, and where it goes from here
Another planet: The otherworldly beauty of Morocco meets the pain of a multi-day endurance ride. Cyclist talks to four competitors about their experiences at the Atlas Mountain Race
For all this and much more, pick up your copy of Cyclist issue 148, on sale now.
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