Lasse Norman Hansen and Michael Mørkøv show Ghent Six form with win in Ballerup 3-Day

Madison world champions Lasse Norman Hansen and Michael Mørkøv confirmed their status as favourites for this week’s Ghent Six by winning the 3-Days DBC race on the Ballerup velodrome near Copenhagen.   

The Danish pair, who also won the gold medal in the Madison at the Tokyo Olympics, held off a challenge from New Zealand-Danish pair Aaron Gate and Matias Malmberg in the final 200-lap Madison on Saturday night. Yoeri Havik and Jan-Willem van Schip finished in third place.

Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse finished fifth at four laps from Norman Hansen and their Deceuninck-QuickStep teammate Mørkøv. 

Gate and Malmberg finished 14 points behind Norman Hansen and Michael Mørkøv after the Danish pair won the final  Madison. Havik and van Schip finished on the same lap but with 71 points.

The Danish pair and many of the other riders in action in Ballerup will now head to Ghent for the six evenings of racing on the legendary 166m Ghent ’t Kuipke track.

Norman Hansen and Mørkøv top the start list of 12 teams and will race in their world champion’s rainbow jerseys. Cavendish and local resident Keisse will ride as the Wolfpack team. 

The 2020 Ghent Six was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic but returns from November 17-22 with special rules and COVID-19 passes needed to be amongst the 6,400 spectators allowed into the velodrome. Spectators will be kept apart from the riders, with extra ventilation and limitations on movement between the stands and the track centre. ​

Teams for the 2021 Ghent Six Day

• 1 - Michael Mørkøv/Lasse Norman Hansen (Den/Den) Schneider Electric
• 2 - Yoeri Havik/Jan-Willem van Schip (Ned/Ned) Callant/MHC Mobility
• 3 - Kenny De Ketele/Robbe Ghys (Bel/Bel) Baloise Insurance
• 4 - Iljo Keisse/Mark Cavendish (Bel/GBr) The Wolfpack
• 5 - Otto Vergaerde/Jules Hesters (Bel/Bel) Caruur
• 6 - Roger Kluge/Jasper De Buyst (Ger/Bel) Lotto
• 7 - Fabio Van den Bossche/Lindsay De Vylder (Bel/Bel) Sport Vlaanderen
• 8 - Michele Scartezzini/Gerben Thijssen (Ita/Bel) Soudal
• 9 - Jonas Rickaert/Silvan Dillier (Bel/Swi) Super 8
• 10 - Roy Pieters/Maikel Zijlaard (Ned/Ned) De Feestarchitect
• 11 - Marc Hester/Tuur Dens (Den/Bel) Etixx
• 12 - Morgan Kneisky/Matias Malmberg (Fra/Den) Vanreusel