De Vylder and Ghys enter the first night of the Ghent Six Days as leaders

Lindsay De Vylder and Robbe Ghys are the provisional leaders with 46 points after the first night of the 83rd Six Days of Ghent. They defeated Benjamin Thomas and Fabio Van Den Bossche in an exciting sprint during the team race, which earned them 20 points. Van Den Bossche and Thomas are second with 36 points, while the Dutch Yoeri Havik and Vincent Hoppezak together with Jules Hesters and Aaron Gate each achieved 25 points. The first points race was won by De Vylder, while Van Den Bossche won the second points race. The evening time trial went to the duo Noah Vandenbranden and Gianluca Pollefliet.

Although Ghys and De Vylder may start as favorites, the competition with the French-Belgian top duo Benjamin Thomas / Fabio Van den Bossche, who won gold and bronze respectively in the omnium at the Olympic Games in Paris, is not small.

“I feel healthy tension, but I am happy to be here again,” said a relaxed Van den Bossche before the starting shot.

“He has been here since Saturday and on Sunday we trained together for the first time,” he explains about his new companion de route. “It was a short preparation, but I am looking forward to it. I have also seen that he is motivated and there is a connection. It will be fun, so.”

Robbe Ghys won the last four editions of the Ghent Six Days. In 2019 and 2021 he did this alongside Kenny De Ketele. Since 2022, Ghys has been a couple in ‘t Kuipke with De Vylder.

“I stand here with a lot of ambition and desire,” says De Vylder. “Robbe (Ghys, ed.) and I are keen to make it happen again, but I will not hide the fact that Fabio Van den Bossche and Benjamin Thomas are the favorites for me.”

So what makes the dreaded Thomas so good? “He is extremely versatile. Someone who is fast and has enormous endurance. Thomas is a rider we look up to because he can do everything.”

So it will have to be a lot of work on the first day. “We immediately hope for a points gap. Here you don’t lose the Six Days, but you would rather have a points lead than have to catch up on points. I’m already looking forward to the track round.”

Pop! Former winner and outgoing track national coach Kenny De Ketele has kicked off the 83rd edition of the Ghent Six Days in ‘t Kuipke. The event is completely sold out. In addition to the six-day event for professionals, there is also room for a Future Six-Day event for promises, a two-day event for women (on Friday and Saturday) and the G-athletes will also have a forum in ‘t Kuipke.