The legendary Belgian velodrome has been wowing crowds at the Six Days of Ghent for almost a century
ICONS OF CYCLING
’t Kuipke, or ‘the little bowl’, as its colloquially known, is a cauldron of competition with few peers in the world of sport, let alone cycling. This velodrome in the centre of the city of Ghent, Belgium, hosts exhibitions, festivals and concerts but is best known to cyclists as the venue for the rambunctious Six Days of Ghent track meet in November (taking place from 14-19th this year).
The track’s dimensions are what defines it – a claustrophobic 167m long track with an aggressive 48° bank, the second steepest in the world behind Berlin, that feels almost upright when you stand on it. The result is track racing of an almost carnival nature, with the riders spinning like tops all night long.
The Six Days of Ghent is the best-known event of the historic Six-Day format, which is believed to have originated in London in 1878. It sees teams of two (sometimes they’re experienced duos, but often are thrown together at the last minute, sometimes for the first time) compete across a range of different race formats over, yes, six days (well, six nights to be precise). Kuipke, in Citadel Park, has technically been its home since 1965, when it was built on the site of the original track, which had been destroyed by fire in 1962 and had hosted the race since 1927.
The modern Kuipke is known for its boisterous atmosphere, with well-oiled fans
