Six Days of Racing
The six day bike race is a bit of a tradition.
The history of six day racing seems a bit unclear, and seems to have started either in the UK or the US, but is no mainly popular in mainland Europe.
A number of events are held throughout the year, and one of the oldest is in Zurich.
This year the 52nd Six day race will be held, and it’s as much a social occasion as a sporting event.
Social in the sense of groups of (mainly) men eatring, drinking and smoking cigars – although the latter might be getting a bit less popular.
The original concept was to have one of the riders from a team continually on track – although they could take tiome off to sleep if they had to. Sounds fair enough, until it’s pointed out that a team consists of only two riders.
So, on average, a rider would be cycling at racing speeds for twelve hours a day, for six days solid.
But clearly cyclists are getting soft and only race in the evenings now. well, I say evenings, but usually it goes on past midnight, in fact on Saturday they’ll be racing until 03:30 in the morning.
The racing takes place from Thursday 11 December until Tuesday the 16th at the Hallenstadion.
Tickets are available in various categories, including a late night option for CHF 12, so even in todays economic markets, it’s an affordable pleasure. Unless you opt for a table for all six days at CHF 5200.
Photos: Flickr tetedelacourse
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