First Six of 2013 up for grabs through to the finale
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Iljo Keisse sets the pace(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The final podium at the Six-Days of Rotterdam, including both the elite men's teams and Sprint Masters competitors(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Six-Day promoter Patrick Sercu in front of the final podium at the 2013 Six-Days of Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
2013 Six-Days of Rotterdam winners Iljo Keisse and Niki Terpstra take a victory lap(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
SixDay promoter Patrick Sercu at Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Veteran Dutchman Leon van Bon in action in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Nick Stöpler and Yoeri Havik lead after the second day of racing in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The elite men's field in full flight during a Madison at the Rotterdam Six(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sir Chris Hoy - on canvas and in the flesh(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Pim Ligthart, left, and Wim Stroetinga(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Derny driver Joop Zijlaard is taking part in his final Six Day.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Fast and furious during a Madison at the Six-Days of Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Dutchmen Nick Stöpler and Yoeri Havik have led the overall standings on two nights and are very much in contention to win in Rotterdam.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Gregory Bauge, right, and Teun Mulder are competing in the Sprint Masters events at the Six-Days of Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sprint legend Sir Chris Hoy at the Six-Days of Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Chris Hoy in action during the Sprint Masters events in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The elite men's teams take to the track for introductions at the Six-Days of Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The elite men's teams take to the track for introductions at the Six-Days of Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Teammates Leif Lampater and Dylan van Baarle in action during a team time trial(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Partners Marc Hester and Barry Markus in action in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Chris Hoy in the Sprint Masters competition in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Defending Rotterdam Six champions Peter Schep and Wim Stroetinga are in the mix to win another title.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Leon van Bon and Nolan Hoffmann are partnered in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The teams are introduced at the Rotterdam Six Day(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Pim Ligthart in full flight(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Nick Stöpler and Yoeri Havik (AA Drink) wind up for the team time trial(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Peter Schep and Wim Stroetinga hold second overall after the second day of racing(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Raymond and Michel Kreder are partnered for the Rotterdam Six Day(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Peter Schep and Wim Stroetinga (Vlasman) lead after the opening day in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Iljo Keisse and Niki Terpstra in action on the opening day in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
One of two derny heats on the opening day in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sir Chris Hoy is competing in the Sprint Masters competition at the Six-Days of Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Cover your ears! Derny legend Joop Zijlaard and Chris Hoy fire starting guns(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Leif Lampater and Dylan van Baarle in action in Rotterdam(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Teammates Pim Ligthart and Michael Mørkøv circle the top of the track, building speed for their team time trial event.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Behind on points entering the Six-Days of Rotterdam's concluding Madison, partners Iljo Keisse and Niki Terpstra lapped their rivals with only a handful of laps remaining to steal overall victory from defending champions Peter Schep and Wim Stroetinga. Five teams started the concluding Madison on the lead lap and by points alone Keisse and Terpstra would have finished fourth overall, but the Belgian/Dutch duo turned on the speed to gain the decisive lap which earned them the overall title.
The 31st edition of the Six-Days of Rotterdam was the first Six of the new year and provided tightly contested racing from start to finish. Defending champions Peter Schep and Wim Stroetinga led on the opening night as well as the penultimate night and looked like victory was their's but for a heartbreaking final Madison. Keisse and Terpstra had earlier led after the third night and young upstarts Nick Stöpler and Yoeri Havik also had their stint atop the standings after the second and fourth nights in Rotterdam.
While each winter in recent years the Six-Day racing calendar shrinks in size, the racing in Rotterdam showed how riveting and dynamic this winter staple of professional cycling can be.
The 31st Six-Days of Rotterdam also saw the retirement of legendary derny driver Joop Zijlaard. The 69-year-old Dutchman had paced multiple generations of the Six's stars and brought his career to a conclusion on home soil in the Netherlands.
Click on the gallery to the right for photos from this year's edition of the Six-Days of Rotterdam.
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Based in the southeastern United States, Peter produces race coverage for all disciplines, edits news and writes features. The New Jersey native has 30 years of road racing and cyclo-cross experience, starting in the early 1980s as a Junior in the days of toe clips and leather hairnets. Over the years he's had the good fortune to race throughout the United States and has competed in national championships for both road and 'cross in the Junior and Masters categories. The passion for cycling started young, as before he switched to the road Peter's mission in life was catching big air on his BMX bike.
