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Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Otto Vergaerde prepares to be slingshotted (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Albert Torress and David Muntaner (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Albert Torress (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Nick Stopler and Otto Vergaerde (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Morgan Kneisky during the Dernyalongside Glen O'Shea (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Morgan Kneisky duringf the Derny (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Morgan Kneisky (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Moreno de Pauw records the fastest lap (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Marc Hester and Alex Rasmussen (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Mark Cavendish with his mechanic (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Ivan Savitsky during the Derny (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Mark Cavendish (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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David Muntaner (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Alex Rasmussen and Leif Lampater (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Moreno de Pauw and Christian Grasmann (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Moreno de Pauw and Christian Grasmann slinghsot (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Lucas Liss and Andreas Muller (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Lucas Liss (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Jasper De Buyst (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Kenny De Ketele and Jasper De Buyst (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Glen O'Shea during the Derny (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Glen O'Shea following the motobike (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Jasper De Buyst (left) and Nick Stopler (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Otto Vergaerde and Nick Stopler (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Vivien Brisse leading Alex Rasmussen (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Silvan Dillier checking there's no cats on the track (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Once again there were big crowds at the Kuipke velodrome (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Thankfully it was another cat free night (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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World champion Albert Torres (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Iljo Keisse with his bouquet (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Kenny De Ketele leading the peloton (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Jasper De Buyst leading the peloton (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Silvan Dillier gets a slingshot from teammate Leif Lampater (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Iljo Keisse slingshots Mark Cavendish (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse celebrate after the win (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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UCI President Brian Cookson attended the third day of racing (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Brian Cookson with Madison world champion David Muntaner (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Albert Torres in the Derny (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Leif Lampater sprints against Alex Rasmussen (left) (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Leif Lampater and Alex Rasmussen during the sprint (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

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Marc Cavendish celebrates (Image credit: ISPA-photo/L.Claesen)

Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma – QuickStep) edged closer to the overall lead at the Gent Six during the third night of racing on Thursday but remain 45 points behind Jasper De Buyst and Kenny De Ketele (Baloise Insurance).

Gallery: Cavendish and Keisse ready for Gent Six

News shorts: Lefevere unhappy with Cavendish riding Gent Six

De Buyst and De Ketele take the lead in Gent on opening night

News shorts: Cat on the track at Gent Six, New Het Nieuwsblad route

UCI President Brian Cookson watched the racing as a guest of the Belgian Cycling Federation before attending a key meeting of the AIOCC race organisers association at the Flanders cycling museum.

The Belgian pair lead with a total of 231 points but Cavendish and Keisse now have 187 points after a solid performance on the tight 166m track. Danish pair Alex Rasmussen and Marc Hester (Team Lotto) are third with 162 points but are a lap down on the leaders.

Cavendish and Keisse clashed with De Buyst and De Ketele in the first Madison of the evening, with the Belgians taking victory to score 20 points, while the Omega Pharma-QuickStep pair had to settle for second place and 12 points.

De Buyst and De Ketele also won the one-lap time trial and the third series of the Derny. Cavendish and Keisse bounced back to take score 10 points in the Elimination and won the Super Sprint event. They finished sixth in the final Madison of the evening and pulled back six points on De Buyst and De Ketele, who only finished tenth.

It's not bad, but it could be better," Keisse told Sporza after the racing. "However, our points behind is called already big. I can certainly not deny it."

Keisse admitted that they must start to reduce the gap if they are to win the Gent Six.

"It's not too bad, but it could be better. However our gap in the points is already big, I certainly can't deny it," he said.

"Unlike other years, I don't have super feelings. I do not know what it is, but I don't feel 100% right. Maybe something is coming on. Hopefully will improve as the Six Day progresses and I'll find my good condition. We need to start scoring more points or perhaps even take a lap round during a Madison. Of course it's never easy."

The Gent Six continues on Friday with the fourth evening of racing.

Results

Standings after day 3
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Points
1	Jasper De Buyst (Bel) / Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Baloise Insurance	231	pts
2	Mark Cavendish (GBr) / Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep	187
3	Alex Rasmussen (Den) / Marc Hester (Den) Team Lotto	162 - 1 lap
4	Leif Lampater (Ger) / Silvan Dillier (Sui) Team Caruur	150
5	Nick Stöpler (Bel) / Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen	121
6	Moreno De Pauw (Bel) / Christian Grasmann (Ger) Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen	104 - 2 laps
7	Glen O'Shea (Aus) / Shane Archbold (NZl) Callant - Upgrade Estate	122 - 3 laps
8	Albert Torres (Esp) / David Muntaner (Esp) John Saey - Lecot	82
9	Morgan Kneisky (Fra) / Vivien Brisse (Fra) T-interim	47 - 9 laps
10	Ivan Savitsky (Rus) / Viktor Manakov (Rus) Primus Haacht	69 - 10 laps
11	Michael Vingerling / Yoeri Havik (Ned) Team 3M	34 - 12 laps
12	Liss Lucas (Ger) / Andreas Muller (Ger) Vanreusel Snacks	12 - 13 laps
13	Didier Caspers (Ned) / Melvin Van Zijl (Ned) Eurotyre - JDK	6 - 13 lap