Ghent, Belgium 18 Nov – 23 Nov 2025 Class CL1 – Class 1
Website www.lottozesdaagse.be
Lotto Six Days Flanders-Ghent
The Lotto Six Days of Flanders-Ghent is a cycling event on the Kuipke cycling track in the Citadel Park in Ghent.
The Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent, or Six Days of Ghent, is a historic and highly popular track cycling event held annually in Ghent, Belgium.
Here is a summary of its history:
- Inaugural Race (1922): The first edition of the Six Days of Ghent took place in 1922. It was held on a demountable indoor track set up in the Feestpaleis (Festival Palace) in the Citadel Park. The first winners were Marcel Buysse (BEL) and Oscar Egg (SUI).
- The Kuipke Velodrome: The event found its iconic and long-term home, the Kuipke velodrome (which means “little tub” due to its small size and high banking), which was constructed in the Citadel Park.
- The track is famous for its exceptionally short length of $166.66$ meters and steep, high-banked corners (up to 52%), making it one of the fastest and most spectator-friendly tracks in Europe.
- The velodrome was originally designed to be disassembled after the event, especially when the building was used for the Ghent Floralies exhibition.
- The 1962 Fire: A major event in the history of the Kuipke was the fire in 1962 that completely destroyed the wooden track, roof, and walls.
- The velodrome was fully rebuilt and reopened in November 1965.
- The first post-fire race in 1965 was won by two Belgian legends: Patrick Sercu and Eddy Merckx.
- Legendary Winners: The race boasts a long list of famous winners, including:
- Patrick Sercu: Considered the greatest six-day racer in history, he holds the record for the most wins in Ghent with 11 victories.
- Eddy Merckx, Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Michael Mørkøv, and local favorites like Iljo Keisse (who won 7 times and is nicknamed “De Keizer van ‘t Kuipke” – The Emperor of the Kuipke).
- 2006 Tragedy: A tragic moment occurred during the 2006 event when Spanish track cyclist Isaac Gálvez died following a crash.
- Modern Day: The event continues to be one of the most exciting and atmospheric races on the six-day circuit, featuring various track disciplines like the Madison (Ploegkoers), Derny races, and Elimination races over six days. The event is a mixture of elite sport and entertainment, often drawing a large, enthusiastic crowd.
The Six Days of Ghent celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022.
