Everything is ready. The SIXDAYS Weekend in the Velodrom Berlin is ready for Theo Reinhardt’s farewell race. Together with his long-time partner Roger Kluge, the successful duo want to race across the finish line as winners once again. The sprinters also want to test their form one last time in competition in Berlin a few days before the European Championships in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium (12-15 February). Spectator interest is high, almost all seat tickets for Saturday have already been sold and only flex tickets are available. The accident involving the national track cycling team on Monday has an impact on the 112th Berlin Six-Day Race. Three riders cannot start and had to be replaced. The final information on the race was given today at a press conference in the Velodrom.
Valts Miltovics, Managing Director of the Sixdays Weekend: “When Theo Reinhardt, a Berliner, ends his career on the Berlin track, in his living room, then that is something very special. For track cycling and for the many fans. And it is a great honor for us as Sixdays Weekend.”

Dieter Stein, Sports Director of the Sixdays Weekend: “The top team of the Sixdays Weekend are Theo Reinhardt and Roger Kluge. They are the best team in the Madison in recent years. They will face competition from the Dutch Yoeri Havik and Philip Heijnen and the Italians Elia Viviani and Michele Scartezzini. I am also excited to see what Moritz Malcharek can achieve together with Raphael Kokas. These four teams are fighting for the podium.”

Theo Reinhardt: “I grew up with the Berlin Six-Day Race. As a young guy I watched and then had the great fortune to be able to ride here for years. The velodrome is shaped like a cauldron and when the atmosphere here is really good, it’s a witch’s cauldron. Then it’s incredible to be a rider on this track. There were quite a few moments when I actually had goosebumps on the bike because the atmosphere was so great.”

Roger Kluge: “We’re here to win again. We rode through the six-day season together and are fit. Now at home we are particularly motivated. Theo fought through the winter for Berlin. I’m sure he’s in good shape and so the conditions are already in place for us to be able to compete for victory.”

Sprinter Robert Förstemann: “Berlin is the epitome of the six-day race. The track is fantastic. The crowd is great and cheers the riders on and the starting field is always top class. The people here simply live track cycling and it is always an honour to be able to be at the start here.” Looking at the field of riders, he added: “Maybe we will even break the track record.”

After the serious accident involving the national track cycling team on Mallorca, the organisers of the Sixdays Weekend had to re-plan because Moritz Augenstein, Benjamin Boos and Bruno Kessler cannot ride in the velodrome. Valts Miltovics, Managing Director of the Sixdays Weekend: “The accident was shocking news for us. The three of them were firmly planned to be with us. We have nominated three riders at short notice: Raphael Kokas from Austria, Matteo Donega from Italy and Matteo Constant from Switzerland.”

In addition to the elite men’s field, the sprinters are also competing at the SIXDAYS Weekend with a top-class field. As things stand, more than 90 percent of the seats and weekend tickets for Saturday have already been sold. The organisers expect the velodrome to be sold out on Saturday. Those interested in tickets should therefore not wait any longer if they do not want to end up empty-handed. Ticket sales are also going very well on Friday, with seats still available in some blocks.
Admission to the SIXDAYS weekend is at 6:00 p.m. on both days, and the races start at 6:40 p.m. Races will run until midnight. As always, in addition to the sport, there will be plenty of music, drinks, food and plenty of entertainment at the Berlin Six-Day Race.