Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma – QuickStep) moved a step closer to taking over the lead in this year’s Six Days of Ghent.
Following a 3rd night racing, the duo have moved up to just 45 seconds behind Jasper De Buyst and Kenny De Ketele (Baloise Insurance) – in the overall standings.
The Belgian pair lead the race with a total of 231 points. However, after last night’s solid performance, Cavendish and Keisse now have 187 points.
Meanwhile, Rasmussen and Marc Hester (Team Lotto) remain in 3rd place with 162 points – one lap down on the leaders.
De Buyst and De Ketele one the first Madison of the evening, earning 20 points for the victory.
In addition, the Belgian duo also won the one-lap time trial and the third series of the Derny. However, Cavendish and Keisse bounced back to score 10 points in the Elimination, while also winning the Super Sprint event.
Cavendish and Keisse finished 6th in the final Madison of the evening, while pulling back six points on De Buyst and De Ketele, – who only managed a 10th place finish.
It’s not bad, but it could be better," Keisse told the Belgian newspaper, Sporza. "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."
"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."
Standings after day 3
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
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